Sheila’s remark: Disconnect between Cong high command, MLAs on show again

A couple of days after she made the controversial comment on the formation of the Delhi government, which appeared to be endorsing the BJP’s case, Sheila Dikshit has strongly denied the motive being ascribed to her remark. Her efforts at damage control may or may not have impressed the Congress high command but her original remark is finding support among party legislators in Delhi. “I am supporting her (Sheila’s) views on the stalemate in Delhi. What is wrong in what she said,” said Mateen Ahmad, Congress MLA from Seelampur. Others like Chandni Chowk MLA Prahlad Singh Sawhney may share the same opinion behind closed doors, but Okhla MLA Asif Mohammed Khan is not reluctant to come out in the open. [caption id=“attachment_1712003” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Sheila Dikshit. PTI[/caption] “If they (BJP) think they can form the government, they must prove their majority and end the confusion,” said Khan. This comes as a shot in the arm for the pro-Sheila lobby which has been maintaining that she had only voiced the concerns of sitting MLAs. With some MLAs openly backing the three-time chief minister of Delhi, the disconnect between the party high command and the MLAs on this tricky issue is clear. Even though a few senior leaders concur with the feelings of their MLAs, the high command has so far maintained that since no party has a clear majority, there should be fresh elections in the state. Senior party leaders were seen distancing themselves from Sheila’s statement, but all that is changing fast. “If we could have the AAP forming a minority government, then the BJP can also be given a chance,” said Naseeb Singh, former MLA and now All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary. The silence of two MLAs, Devendra Yadav and veteran leader Jaikishan, on the matter is being seen as support to the no-election group. Delhi Congress chief Arvinder Singh Lovely and Legislature Party leader Haroon Yusuf have been at the forefront of towing the official line of demanding dissolution of the assembly. “Shiela Ji’s comments on government formation in Delhi, may be her personal opinion. Congress MLAs and AICC are totally against extending support to the BJP,” is what Shakeel Ahmad tweeted after the controversy erupted, he was unavailable for comments. What has rankled sections of the ruling Congress dispensation is the fact that Muslim MLAs have chosen to back Sheila Dikshit’s comments about exploring the possibility of BJP forming a government before the Supreme Court hearing on 10 October. So far the Congress has been using the bogey of BJP coming to power in their attempt to keep the minorities by their side. But with no elected member willing to face another election, Sheila seems to have struck the right chord. In such an eventuality, it is the AAP that is likely to face a serious challenge of keeping its flock together. “Why don’t they (high command) realise that Congress will be the biggest loser if elections are held now in Delhi,” says a confidante of Sheila Dikshit. “We will be reduced to nothing in the assembly, but if the BJP can form the Government then it is AAP that will run the risk of desertion,” he added. These developments have again shown that the high command is yet to learn from mistakes of the past. Despite talks of bringing in internal democracy, a section of the powerful coterie still rules the roost at 24 Akbar Road. Apart from paying lip service, nothing concrete has been done to bridge the gap between Congress leadership and their foot soldiers. For someone of the calibre of a three-time chief minister, the prevailing conditions in her party were ideal for her to create a big bang on her return from Kerala. And with a major revamp of the party organisation on the cards at the end of the year, Sheila has made the high and mighty look up and take notice of her claim to be a powerful player in the new dispensation.