In an interview with Ashish Srivastava, Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav says that the party would emphasise an inclusive approach for Delhi Assembly elections with a mix of youth and experience in candidate selection.
Excerpts
Were Haryana Assembly results unexpected? Will it affect morale and preparations for the forthcoming Delhi assembly elections?
Yes, the outcome in Haryana did catch us off guard. We were overly focused on consolidating votes from a single community (Jats), which may have hurt our performance. But we’re adjusting our approach and moving forward with a more inclusive strategy that addresses the needs of all communities. Despite the setback, our confidence remains intact. We’ve reorganised our cadre and are fully engaged in campaign preparations. We’ve already hit the ground running.
Congress has been out of power for over 10 years. How is it trying to reconnect with the public?
We’ve initiated a manifesto outreach program and established over 20 sub-committees to address key issues concerning youth, women, child development, senior citizens, traders, minorities, etc. We aim to touch every segment of society and incorporate expert opinions, especially in areas like healthcare and the environment. We’re also gearing up for a month-long yatra to build a direct connection with the public. This outreach ensures our manifesto resonates with the people’s needs and aspirations.
What is the party’s approach to selecting candidates for upcoming election?
We’re maintaining a consultative approach. Discussions are ongoing with leadership at all levels, including district presidents recommending potential candidates. We’re also assigning tasks to these candidates and conducting surveys in every constituency to gauge public opinion and candidate popularity. We’ll finalise the names based on these inputs, giving our candidates ample time to mount effective campaigns.
Will Congress prioritise younger or veteran leaders?
We’ll strike a balance. Many leaders who have lost in the last decade have remained active in the field, and they’ll be given preference. However, new faces have emerged, so we’ll present a blend of seasoned leaders and young talent to the voters.
Talking about young blood and experienced leaders, can we expect Lok Sabha candidates like Kanhaiya Kumar and JP Agarwal to fight the assembly election?
Kanhaiya has personally conveyed that he is not interested in fighting this election. But if there is anyone (Lok Sabha candidates) interested in the contest, then they have to pass the winnability test.
Rahul Gandhi advocates for “jitna hissa, utni hissedaari.” Will this be reflected in selecting candidates from reserved categories and women?
Twelve seats of the Delhi assembly have already been earmarked for SC and ST categories. Meanwhile, OBC forms a huge voter base in Delhi, so naturally, a lot of leaders representing the community would be selected as candidates. As far as women are concerned, we are pushing our female leaders to take the lead as much as possible. However, winnability would be the first criterion behind the selection of any candidate.
What is current focus in countering the ruling AAP?
We’re focusing on core civic and infrastructure issues—cleanliness, desilting, delays in landfill reduction, waterlogging-related deaths, water shortages, and malfunctioning streetlights. These problems transcend communities and affect every Delhi resident. We aim to bring these everyday concerns to the forefront and demonstrate that we’re focused on issues that matter to everyone.