As the capital's longest-serving chief minister between 1998 and 2013, Sheila Dikshit has seen her share of controversy and confrontation. In an interview, she shares her take on the current controversy in the capital. During MCD polls you said you were not consulted. What made you share the stage with Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken now? Mr Maken can answer the reason behind change of heart, but what I will say is better late than never. I had always been in favour of showing a united face. I think they (Maken and others) would also have realised that unity is the only way forward. We didn't get a single seat in the Assembly. Maken has admitted the rift in the part was his fault. What, according to you, was his mistake? The mistake was that I was ignored. The Congress is not any single person's party. I am Congressi and will always be, no one can take that away. You were not consulted when Arvinder Singh Lovely left the party. Were you consulted when he rejoined? I came to know about it only a day before, when Mr P C Chacko, Mr Maken and Mr Harun Yusuf told me about it. See, there was an era when people thought, is there even a need to consult. It's good that everybody has decided to show a united face now. Do do you think this led to the Congress’s downfall? Naturally. But some leaders like Jai Parkash Aggarwal are still angry? What can we do if one is angry but there is no reason for it. What will your role be going forward? It is for the party to decide, but I will not fight elections. Don't you think you should ally with AAP since your party is on the back foot? The way they have behaved with the bureaucracy, there is no chance. We can only ally with people whose thinking is similar to our ideology. The AAP is often at loggerheads with the L-G. How was your equation when you were in power? I used to meet them (bureaucrats) every week and talk to them regularly over the phone. When you are in a responsible position, you cannot play politics. There were no differences. They always gave advice, which was good for Delhi governance. What about AAP's allegation that the BJP is interfering in governance? AAP is in government, the responsibility, therefore, is with AAP because they have been given the mandate to run Delhi. What do you think is the way forward? Delhi is a Union Territory and the powers are clearly defined in the Constitution. If you think there needs to be changes, you can try using constitutional provisions. But till it’s not changed, you are expected to abide by the rules. Even we tried to change, but that does not mean you go on assaulting people. I think Mr Kejriwal is trying to use extrajudicial authority.
