English
Lucknow, June 17: Hours after former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit’s met Congress President Sonia Gandhi at latter’s residence, speculations began surfacing within the political circles that she could be projected as the chief ministerial candidate for Uttar Pradesh, ahead of the assembly elections scheduled next year. During 2015 Delhi assembly polls, Kiran Bedi became a sacrificial lamb for the BJP, as the party suffered humiliating defeat against Aam Aadmi Party and fingers were raised against her who was projected as the chief ministerial candidate at the last minute.
Although the prospects of Congress are not bright in Uttar Pradesh, the projection of Sheila could serve the dual purpose. First, it would provide chief strategist Prashant Kishor a face in the party which could be promoted as a personality cult. Second, even if the party ends up performing in an abysmal manner, the blame would be transferred to Sheila, instead of the Congress high command. The Gandhi family would be easily protected from taking responsibility of the devastating defeat. Read Also: (Sheila Dixit to be Congress chief ministerial candidate for Uttar Pradesh: sources)
Also there are chances that Sheila, the 78-year-old leader can be made party’s campaign in-charge for Punjab assembly polls for 2017. “Yes both of these (UP CM candidate or Congress party’s campaign in-charge for Punjab) are being talked about,” a source close to Sheila was quoted by a newspaper.
However it is still not clear whether Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi had invited Sheila to discuss the two options or Sheila was pro-active about keeping two options in front of Sonia.
Earlier there were reports suggesting that the three time Chief Minister of Delhi had decided to retire from active politics. But after the meeting there are whispers at Congress’s headquarters that she is ready for new innings.
The fact that Sheila is married to a well known Brahmin family and her ‘Dixit’ Brahmin identity is not enough to lure Brahmin voters in UP.
With a small number in UP – two MPs and 20-odd MLAs in state assembly – Sheila could well be compared with Kiran Bedi who could become a sacrificial lamb for the congress in UP and can save the first family by taking the blame on her from the disgrace of poll debacle.
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