Bhagat, Tytler, Sajjan denied tickets

She now has the tough task of contesting in a vast constituency where she has probably not gone for many years. Former MCD head Deep Chand Sharma will now be the party nominee from the country’s largest constituency Outer Delhi while big time businessman M M Aggarwal, who was DPCC treasurer, is expected to fight from Sadar in place ofTytler. There was nothing official about the Delhi list, all nominees filing their papers without the CEC clearing their names.

The axing of the infamous trio, all alleged to be directly involved in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Delhi, came after a protracted struggle. 10, Janpath was apparently insistent that they be kept out at any cost especially after Sonia had expressed regret for Operation Bluestar and the riots which followed.

The die was cast once Sonia sort of apologised in Chandigarh but that was matched by an ill-timed readmission of Bhagat into the Congress almost simultaneously. This is said to have upset the Sonia camp which was already piqued at the manner in which Kesri endorsed Dhawan’s candidature. For the last few days, the Sonia group is said to have made their stand clear several times including once in a meeting between Sonia and Kesri.

Kesri’s options were limited once he went with Dhawan and this time he was forced to obey Sonia. 10, Janpath is apparently serious in its attempts tocleanse the anti-Sikh stigma which has stuck to the party for 14 years. No chances are to be taken this time and Kesri has been told to lie low.

Left to Kesri, Sajjan Kumar and Tytler may have found a place in the nominees list. That things had gone out of Kesri’s hand was obvious when he chose two known Sonia loyalists, Arjun Singh and A K Antony, to head the committee to shortlist the Delhi candidates.