AICC Delhi in-charge P C Chacko asked state chief Sheila Dikshit to call a meeting with the leaders.Days after the Delhi Congress unit decided to appoint observers for 280 block Congress committees, All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of Delhi P C Chacko Saturday wrote to state chief Sheila Dikshit on her decision to appoint observers without consulting other office bearers.
“I am sorry to say that a senior leader of your status should not have flouted AICC rules by taking a decision leading to unrest and differences in the party. I have received numerous complaints from block presidents, DPCC presidents and working presidents against the action under your signature,” he wrote.
The move comes after the three DPCC working presidents reached out to Dikshit and requested her to review the decision to dissolve the committees.
The letter signed by Haroon Yusuf, Rajesh Lilothia and Devender Yadav further claims that several decisions related to the functioning of the party have been taken without consulting the leaders.
“It is saddening that all decisions taken in the past were unilateral, without even informing us. The PCC was designed to work under your leadership along with three working presidents and it was intended to take a collective decision in consultation with each other for strengthening the party in Delhi,” their letter to Dikshit stated.
When asked about the letter, Lilothia told The Sunday Express: “This is a routine practice. The letter is not a complaint but a suggestion to the state president.” The other two working presidents did not respond to calls and messages seeking a comment.
Chacko also asked Dikshit to call a meeting with the leaders to discuss organisational matters.
“As I have stayed the dissolution of block committees, the appointment of block observers is unauthorised and will lead to unnecessary differences and conflict at the block level. I have spoken to her (Dikshit) and she has agreed that everything will be done keeping the top leaders in the loop,” said Chacko.
While Dikshit did not respond to calls seeking a comment, party spokesperson Jitender Kochhar said: “This is unfortunate. The party doesn’t work with such letters, but is working on the roads with workers. As Rahul Gandhi ji has resigned, these letters do not hold any importance. We have been told that in the absence of a national president, the Delhi unit can take decisions on its own. It’s sad that several people are not aware of the party’s constitution.”
The observers were to shortlist names of candidates for the posts of block committee presidents, dissolved by Dikshit on June 28 after a report by a five-member panel formed to assess reasons behind the party’s Lok Sabha performance.
