I wasn't asked to be UP CM candidate: Sheila Dikshit on her involvement in poll-bound state

Former Delhi Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, in an interview with NDTV decided to clear the air regarding her role in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh elections. “Sonia and Rahul have not asked me to be the CM candidate in Uttar Pradesh,’’ said Sheila Dikshit. [caption id=“attachment_2858198” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File photo of Sheila Dixit. PTI[/caption] Although she did agree that the Congress has informed her that she will play important part in the UP elections slated for next year. “The party has told me that they were thinking of me in UP,” Dikshit said and added that from her side it is neither a yes, nor a no. “Whether I go to Uttar Pradesh or not, I can’t deny that I am the bahu of the state,” said Dikshit on a lighter note. Dikshit was married to the son of Uma Shankar Dikshit, one of the stalwarts of the Congress in Uttar Pradesh who was close to Nehru family and was also a central minister. On Priyanka Gandhi’s foray into the Uttar Pradesh elections as the star campaigner of the Congress, Sheila Dikshit said that Priyanka does have a charming way of winning friends. “Her entry will be nice. Priyanka is very popular. She is familiar with UP. The media and television channels have been running programmes on Priyanka for the past two days. I think she is the right person. She would be a great asset for the party,” said the former Delhi Chief Minister. Asked if her being a Brahmin face would help the party in the state, she said: “I am also the daughter-in-law of Uttar Pradesh. I have been married in UP, I was born in Punjab and spent most of my days in Delhi and was also educated here.” On the question which place she would prefer since she was born in Punjab, married in Uttar Pradesh and has worked in Delhi, Dikshit said in a lighter vein: “I come from all the three places, so all three places are my choice.” Earlier this month, speculations were rife that poll strategist Prashant Kishor  wanted the Congress to field Dikshit as its CM candidate in the poll-bound state. Firstpost had reported that the former Delhi CM had declined the Congress’ offer to become its chief ministerial candidate for the Uttar Pradesh elections.  Dikshit has cited time constraints as the reason for her decision. When asked about her return to Delhi politics, Shiela Dikshit expressed ‘a sense of hurt’. “They didn’t want me in Delhi, they faced the results,” she said. In June, Dikshit had also faced corruption charges in a Rs 400-crore ’tanker scam’ in Delhi. The alleged irregularities happened in 2012, when the Delhi Jal Board hired 385 water tankers from private contractors. Commenting on the scam, Shiela Dikshit reiterated that the allegations were politically motivated, NDTV reported. With inputs from IANS.