Battle for Delhi: Former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit says won’t contest polls

Former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Wednesday said she would not be contesting in the upcoming assembly polls, but added that she would help her party in the triangular battle.

“I will not fight the elections, but will do all to help the Congress. Whatever will be said to me, I am ready for that,” said Dikshit.

“We are soldiers of the party. The party has not yet told me anything in this regard. When the party will say anything, then we will take decisions,” she added when asked whether she would be the Congress party’s chief ministerial face in the upcoming polls.

To a poser that the BJP has always declared its chief ministerial candidate prior to the elections, Dikshit said: “The people know that Modiji will not become the leader here. He is the Prime Minister. Shah is their (BJP) party president.”

“The only problem is that for the first time there has been a triangular contest. So, the people get confused and absolute majority is not achieved,” she added.

The former chief minister, however, said the people must make decisions based on all the scenarios, including the 15-year-rule of the Congress, and one-year tenure of the Lieutenant Governor.

When asked about the Congress’ preparations for the polls, Dikshit said: “We will prepare our manifesto. Delhi has suffered a lot in the last one year. There was no government. The Aam Aadmi Party got an opportunity. We had even supported them from outside, but they ran away.”

Responding to a poser on Arvind Kejriwal’s claims that the battle will be between him and BJP’s Jagdish Mukhi for the coveted post of Chief Minister, Dikshit said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief is a new kind of politician and says whatever he wishes to.

Kejriwal had earlier said his party would fight the assembly elections by projecting its work during its 49 days of rule earlier this year and on the promise of making Delhi corruption-free and a world-class city.

“The people of Delhi have waited for eight months for elections. They have to choose whether they want Arvind Kejriwal or Jagdish Mukhi as chief minister,” he said, adding that the Congress is insignificant in this election.

The BJP has, however, made it clear that it will not project any leader for Chief Minister’s post in the forthcoming elections.

With the Union Cabinet recommended the dissolution of the Delhi Assembly and setting the stage for fresh elections in the days to come, the political parties have begun finalizing their poll campaign strategy to grab power here.

The BJP, which was single largest party in the last polls here, is pinning its hope on Prime Minister Narendra Modi who will be their star campaigner in the forthcoming polls.

President’s Rule was imposed in Delhi since February after Kejriwal-led AAP government stepped down after remaining in power for 49 days.