Functioning With Three Working Presidents Since Sheila Dikshit’s Demise, Delhi Congress Likely To Get New Chief Today

The name of new Delhi Congress chief is likely to be announced on Friday (11 October). Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi is said to have finalised the name. Party Spokesperson Pawan Khera said on Thursday (10 October), the name would be announced soon.

The post is vacant since the death of former state unit chief Sheila Dikshit and the party is functioning with three working presidents. Amid four leaders in the race for the post, former Member of Parliament (MP) Sandeep Dikshit, son of late Sheila Dikshit, is said to be the front-runner.

He has met Sonia Gandhi twice in recent times and said to have support and acceptance among the former Chief Minister's (CM) followers. According to a senior party leader, Dikshit could garner support on the basis of development works done by the late CM and public sympathy.

Ajay Maken, replaced by Sheila Dikshit ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, is another contender for the post. Former Delhi party chiefs Subhash Chopra and JP Agarwal are also said to be in the fray.

Agarwal could emerge as a consensus candidate, but Kirti Jha Azad's name has been also propped up of late. His name is being pushed by the senior party leaders as he hails from Bihar and could counter Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Manoj Tiwari in attracting voters belonging to eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)