Faceless Congress returns to its old guards for the upcoming Delhi Assembly election. Tainted Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, accused in the 1984 Delhi anti-Sikh riots will lead the campaign for 21 assembly seats. Former chief minister Sheila Dikshit is also set to make a comeback, as the party struggles to find a strong face in this election.
Former Delhi MP Sajjan Kumar has started campaigning for the party in West, South and North West parliamentary seats. Kumar, who has a following in the outer Delhi- villages has started addressing public meetings and rallies in these constituencies.
The Congress leader Sajjan Kumar on Monday called a meeting of South Delhi Congress members to mobilise the party workers. In a meeting that was attended by about 150 Congress workers, he asked his colleagues to forget their differences and to work for the party.
When asked if he will be leading the party from the front in this election, Sajjan said, "I am a worker of the Congress. I will do whatever the party asks me to do."
Both Kumar and Jagdish Tytler, co- accused in the riots have stayed away from holding a public office in Delhi. During Sheila Dikshit's regime, the Delhi Congress team had never looked up to Sajjan Kumar to campaign in Delhi. Only last week, both Kumar and Tytler made headlines when their names were included in Delhi election committee created by Rahul Gandhi. The party soon denied having created any such committee.
Besides Sajjan Kumar, Sheila Dikshit is also likely to make a comeback in Delhi. With Dikshit away, the party does not has a face to portray as its chief minister candidate in Delhi.
Sources inform that former MP and Congress chief spokesperson Ajay Maken is not keen on joining team Delhi. If Maken stays out, Dikshit remains the only option for the party.
"Several senior leaders have been visiting Dikshit. They have been insisting her to make a comeback. The party is likely to go to polls under her leadership," said a senior party leader.
Many within the Congress are of the view that Dikshit has a clean image and no charges of corruption against her has been proven so far. "They are only allegations. She has been a popular face for the past
15 years. She should take the risk, because she has nothing to lose," explained the leader.
Meanwhile, on the first day of submitting applications to contest the elections, the Congress party received about 300 forms for the 70 assembly seats.
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