Cong launch party proves a flop

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and her party may have been claiming that they are confident of a third consecutive win in the Assembly elections...

Only 30 of the 70 selected candidates show up to collect campaign material; Aggrawal8217;s excuse: 8216;they are busy8217;

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and her party may have been claiming that they are confident of a third consecutive win in the Assembly elections, but the launch party organised by Delhi Congress chief J P Aggrawal presented a rather different picture. With only a fraction of the total selected candidates turning up, the event that was meant to represent the excitement of the ruling party proved to be a dampener.

Barely two weeks ahead of the elections, only 30 candidates showed up to collect the campaigning material prepared by the party for the elections.

The campaigning resources mainly consisted of a short film on a CD, elaborating the party8217;s contribution to development of transport infrastructure, the nuclear deal and regularisation of over 1,500 unauthorised colonies.

Sheila Dikshit was present with Hauz Khas MLA Kiran Walia, while Transport Minister Harun Yusuf and Education Minister Arvinder Singh Lovely walked in later. Health Minister Yoganand Shastri, who is facing a tough fight in Mehrauli against rebel Congress worker Satbir Singh, was not present to pick up his campaigning material. Shastri was displaced from his Malviya Nagar constituency after it was allotted to Kiran Walia.

Power and Finance Minister Dr A K Walia and Urban Development Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan who is contesting from Mongolpuri, too, were conspicuous by their absence.

A red-faced Aggrawal spent the entire afternoon trying to explain that many candidates were out campaigning in their respective constituencies. Party insiders, however, felt that the absence was mainly due to their resentment over the distribution of tickets.

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Five dissidents have already broken away from the party and are contesting against the selected candidates, while many 8216;old timers8217; like Tajdar Babbar, the sitting MLA from Minto Road, have refused to campaign after being denied a ticket.

8220;The party is still trying to negotiate with the dissidents who can play a major role in the fate of the Congress. Tension is palpable,8221; said a party member.

While Dikshit held the front by discussing development and the Commonwealth Games, Aggrawal said: 8220;The elections are close and everyone is busy with pad yatras and campaigning. No one is angry with the party leadership as far as I know.8221;