‘Congress prepared to contest polls in alliance or alone’: Delhi Congress chief

With no representative either in the Assembly or Lok Sabha in Delhi, the Congress is in shambles in the city. However, the newly appointed Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) president has a foolproof plan to Arvinder Singh Lovely revive the party that once ruled the city. Lovely, a four-time MLA, believes that the Congress is the only party that can ensure inclusive growth and proved it during the three consecutive terms from 1998 to 2013. While talking to Anup Verma & Zaid Nayeemi, Lovely, a former minister in the Sheila Dikshit-led government, shares the roadmap for upcoming polls. Excerpts: 

Your strategy for upcoming elections and issues to be addressed?
We are focusing on strengthening the party on both booth level and the top level in the next couple of months. We will work with the proper coordination of the old and new cadre of the party. On the ground level, Delhi is a trading centre and the traders are quite unhappy. The way agencies are troubling, they are in a sense of fear. GST is also a major concern to run their day-to-day business/trade activities. Rahul Gandhi is voicing the concern of the poor people and the reason a major section of our society is hopefully looking to him.

Are veterans happy with your appointment?
Yes, they are. Be it Jai Prakash Agarwal (former DPCC president), Mukesh Sharma, Naseeb Singh, Raj Kumar Chauhan (former MLAs) or any of our senior colleagues, everyone is active on the ground. They have held various posts in the past; hence their experience will benefit them. Secondly, their coordination with the youth will provide more teeth to the party. 

How will the vote bank increase?
Though Congress didn’t do well overall in the last corporation elections, the performance in the east Delhi area was good. We won 7 out of 9 seats there and even those lost were with a thin margin. If people can show their faith in East Delhi, they will certainly do in other parts too. 

It’s been a year of ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’. Will there be some more events?
Be it during ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ or even after that, Rahul Gandhi has been voicing the concern of underprivileged, unemployed youths, backward class, minorities, SC/ST. People are looking forward to him. 

You were DPCC president earlier. How are things different now?
Last time, when I was the DPCC chief, the organisation was also good. But, today we need to strengthen the party. 

Is there factionalism in the party?
It is okay to have factionalism as long as it is for the betterment of the party. I believe that the voice of everyone should be heard for a healthy democracy.

There has been a difference of opinion between the central leadership and the state unit over alliance with the AAP. How will it be resolved?
The best thing about Congress is that everyone has the right to put forward their views. All have agreed to abide by the decision of the party’s central leadership.

If there is an alliance, what will be the equation?
There has been no talk over. We are prepared to contest, either alone as part of an alliance. We will keep fighting for the rights of Delhiites; there will be no compromise on it.

What will be the route of the second leg of Bharat Jodo Yatra? Will it cross from Delhi?
No, Delhi was covered in the first leg. The yatra will originate from MP and pass through states not covered earlier. 

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