Delhi Congress chief Sheila Dikshit urges party leaders for unified campaign

Delhi Congress chief Sheila Dikshit Friday asked party leaders to jointly campaign for the party instead of doing their separate bits for the Lok Sabha polls, a senior party leader said. Dixit held a meeting with all party leaders at Delhi Congress office where All India Congress Committee (AICC) in charge of the unit P C Chacko and co-in charge Kuljeet Singh Nagra were also present.

"The Delhi Congress president asked for joining the common platform to run the party campaign instead of doing their separate bits," Delhi Congress spokesperson Jitendra Kochar said. A senior Delhi Congress leader present at the meeting said the issue of whether to form an alliance with AAP was also raised by party working president Rajesh Lilothia.

Chacko, however, said Congress president Rahul Gandhi is yet to take a final decision on it. The district presidents of the Delhi Congress are in favour of an alliance with the AAP. Chacko handed over the letters of support to Gandhi at a meeting last month.

The election campaign of the party has failed to pick up in Delhi due to uncertainty over the alliance even as the days for nomination of candidates on the seven Lok Sabha seats is fast approaching. Only working president Devender Yadav is campaigning in various assembly segments in his 'Cycle Yatra' to popularise Gandhi's poll promises, including minimum income of Rs 72,000 per annum to five crore poor families in the country.

The Delhi unit is divided over an alliance with AAP. Dikshit, her three working presidents and other leaders oppose the alliance while some leaders, including Chacko and former Delhi Congress president, support it.

(With inputs from agencies.)