High drama unfolded in the Delhi unit of the Congress on Monday as a former Minister and MLA threatened to quit while another ex-MLA jumped ship to join the BJP just weeks ahead of the municipal elections on April 23.
Former Delhi Health Minister A. K. Walia said that he had offered to resign over what he termed was the party’s decision to pick an “outsider” over a genuine worker to become its candidate for the Laxmi Nagar ward in the East Delhi Municipal Corporation.
‘Too many panels’
“Usually MLAs and ex-MLAs have a say in the selection of candidates from their areas. This time, the party formed committees upon committees. They chose to give the ticket to Rajesh Pandey, who had fought against our candidate in 2012 and contributed to the loss,” Dr. Walia told The Hindu .
He was referring to the candidate selection process adopted by the Delhi Congress this time around where observers from the party’s units in other States were brought in to interview candidates. Separate district-wise committees were set up, followed by a three-member committee of All-India Congres Committee leaders.
‘Will wait and watch’
Dr. Walia said that though he had offered to resign, the party had reached out to him for a resolution so he would “wait and watch” if his pick for the ticket, Subhash Jain, was given a chance.
Though Monday was the last day for candidates to file their nominations for the municipal elections, Dr. Walia said that there was still time as the date for withdrawal of candidature was April 8.
The Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee has insisted that any disagreement with Dr. Walia would be resolved. Vice-president of the DPCC, Chattar Singh, said that the party had not received any official communication from Dr. Walia expressing his desire to resign.
“He is a very senior leader of the party. We are in the process of talking to him to sort out any grievances he may have,” said Mr. Singh.
