Opinion Sheila Dikshit, the leader whose Delhi success Congress wants to project in UP
Till 2012, Sheila Dikshit was known to have unyielding influence in Delhi, her rapport with the Gandhis supporting her position
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Sheila Dikshit speaks at a press meet in New Delhi (PTI Photo)
The Congress party has largely desisted from naming its chief ministerial candidate in poll-bound states in the past. Often-times, the party has masqueraded the stipulation as an excuse to hide the rampant factionalism in its state units. But the party is ready to make an exception in Uttar Pradesh by naming Sheila Dikshit as its face.
Dikshit has had an illustrious political career including union cabinet posts and more importantly, an uninterrupted 15-year-rule in the national capital. It helped her that in those nine out of 15 years, she had the backing and support of a UPA government at the Centre. Till 2012, Dikshit was known to have unyielding influence in Delhi, her rapport with the Gandhis supporting her position. She oversaw rapid infrastructure momentum in the capital, flyovers and tracks of the Delhi Metro materializing in no time. She also had the image of a no-nonsense and tough administrator. At one point of time, there were even talks doing the rounds that she was ready to mount the campaign for a fourth term.
But all that changed in the aftermath of the horrific gang rape of the 23-year-old woman in a moving bus in the city. People in thousands flowed into the streets demanding justice for the victim and a safer city for women. The birth of the fledgling Aam Aadmi Party, led by Arvind Kejriwal, added to the anger and fierce anti-incumbency sentiments against the Sheila Dikshit government. In the elections that followed, public anger saw its results – Congress coming down to 8 out of 70 seats and Dikshit herself losing in the New Delhi constituency to Kejriwal. The election results also threatened to derail Dikshit’s career and she was taken out of Delhi and posted as the Governor in Kerala. But even that term lasted only five months. Everyone imagined the end of her political career, until from out of nowhere, UP happened.
Sheila Dikshit at her residence in Nizamuddin East in New Delhi (Express photo by Oinam Anand)
In the last few days, rumours had swirled widely of Dikshit’s nomination as the Congress face in Uttar Pradesh. Poll strategist Prashant Kishor is said to have recommended to the party to nominate a Brahmin leader. While Dikshit is actually a Punjabi Khatri, she has a Brahmin surname thanks to her husband Vinod Dikshit.
Just a day ago, the party had announced Raj Babbar as its state president, which was also considered unusual. Babbar does not represent a powerful caste and caste is everything in the state.
So what is the Congress thinking? Dikshit sure has the image of a tough administrator, but she also comes with a lot of baggage. Her age — 78 — is one thing. Plus, just today, news came that she has been summoned by the Anti-Corruption Bureau for her alleged involvement in a water tanker scam, that had reportedly cost the exchequer Rs 400 crore. Her name had also figured in the Commonwealth Games scam.
But all that clearly doesn’t matter to the Congress whose eyes are on the Brahmin community vote, a little above ten percent. The Brahmins were the votaries of the Congress until the mid-90s when they shifted allegiance to the BJP in the event of Mandir politics. And then they began voting for Mayawati’s BSP which also courted them extensively. By fielding Dikshit, this could be a Congress strategy to get back the support of the community, which is concentrated in parts of central and eastern UP. Will the bet pay off? We will have to wait and see.
(This article has been updated to reflect the news of Congress declaring Sheila Dikshit as its CM candidate in Uttar Pradesh.)
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