New Delhi: Sheila Dikshit, who was Chief Minister of Delhi for 15 long years, will be the chief ministerial candidate of the Congress in Uttar Pradesh, the party announced on Thursday.
The announcement was made by Congress General Secretary Janardan Dwivedi at the party headquarters.
“For the first time your assumption has proved right,” he said, referring to media speculation that Dikshit, ousted from power in Delhi in December 2013, would be the face of the Congress in UP.
Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said the corruption allegations levelled against Dikshit did not matter since BJP’s Chief Ministers in other states too faced corruption charges.
Election strategist Prashant Kishor had recommended that Dikshit should play a major role in the party’s poll campaign in the state as she is a prominent Brahmin face and could help Congress regain support of the electorally sizeable community.
Dikshit is the daughter-in-law of prominent Congress leader from UP Uma Shankar Dikshit, who was a Brahmin face and had served as a Union minister and governor for a long time.
Earlier this month, Dikshit, a three-time Delhi Chief Minister, had said as UP’s “daughter-in-law” she was ready to play any role in the state.
Dikshit had met party President Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi last month during which she was said to have been sounded by them for a leading role in UP.
The Brahmin community, a traditional vote bank of Congress, had shifted allegiance to BJP in the aftermath of the Mandir-Mandal politics and a section in Congress feels it should make efforts to win back the support of the community.
A large chunk of Brahmin votes had also gone to Mayawati’s BSP in the past when she gave tickets to many candidates belonging to the community.
The community’s support determines the poll outcome in several seats in central and eastern UP.
(IANS)
