Congress deputes Ahmad Patel to handle resentment over tickets
NEW DELHI: Congress high command has deputed senior party leader Ahmad Patel to handle the "resentment" among Delhi Congress leaders over ticket distribution and control any possible harm to the party's prospects in MCD polls to be held this month.
The move came following former three-time minister in Sheila Dikshit regime A K Walia threatening to quit over ticket distribution in his area Laxmi Nagar and defection of three-time party MLA Ambrish Gautam to BJP.
Also, another senior leader Mangat Ram Singhal held a press conference at party Rajya Sabha MP Parvez Hashmi's residence yesterday to hit out at Delhi Congress president Ajay Maken over ticket distribution.
Patel called a meeting of senior leaders of Delhi Congress, including Walia, Arvinder Singh Lovely and Haroon Yusuf, and talked about their "grievances" and promised to look into all aspects of ticket distribution after civic body polls, a party source said.
"We were asked by Ahmad Patel to get down to campaigning for MCD polls who also promised to look into our objections regarding ticket distribution," said one of the participants of the meeting.
Congress has fielded candidates on all the 272 wards in three municipal corporations in a bid to resurrect itself in Delhi after the forgettable defeat in 2015 Assembly elections in which it drew a blank.
The opponents of DPCC chief Ajay Maken including several senior leaders of Delhi Congess have complained to the party high command alleging "favouritism and role of money" in ticket distribution.
Previously, the Youth Congress and Mahila Congress had also submitted memorandum to party vice president Rahul Gandhi demanding due representation in ticket distribution.
A three-member screening committee including senior leaders Anand Sharma, Randeep Surjewala and Manic Tagore was formed by high command to redress grievances of party workers.
The party adopted an elaborate feedback system to choose candidates for MCD polls based primarily on choice of booth- level workers. Feedback of over 39,000 workers was accessed through phone calls to select the candidates.
The move came following former three-time minister in Sheila Dikshit regime A K Walia threatening to quit over ticket distribution in his area Laxmi Nagar and defection of three-time party MLA Ambrish Gautam to BJP.
Also, another senior leader Mangat Ram Singhal held a press conference at party Rajya Sabha MP Parvez Hashmi's residence yesterday to hit out at Delhi Congress president Ajay Maken over ticket distribution.
Patel called a meeting of senior leaders of Delhi Congress, including Walia, Arvinder Singh Lovely and Haroon Yusuf, and talked about their "grievances" and promised to look into all aspects of ticket distribution after civic body polls, a party source said.
"We were asked by Ahmad Patel to get down to campaigning for MCD polls who also promised to look into our objections regarding ticket distribution," said one of the participants of the meeting.
Congress has fielded candidates on all the 272 wards in three municipal corporations in a bid to resurrect itself in Delhi after the forgettable defeat in 2015 Assembly elections in which it drew a blank.
The opponents of DPCC chief Ajay Maken including several senior leaders of Delhi Congess have complained to the party high command alleging "favouritism and role of money" in ticket distribution.
Previously, the Youth Congress and Mahila Congress had also submitted memorandum to party vice president Rahul Gandhi demanding due representation in ticket distribution.
A three-member screening committee including senior leaders Anand Sharma, Randeep Surjewala and Manic Tagore was formed by high command to redress grievances of party workers.
The party adopted an elaborate feedback system to choose candidates for MCD polls based primarily on choice of booth- level workers. Feedback of over 39,000 workers was accessed through phone calls to select the candidates.
