In order to put a cohesive strategy for forthcoming Assembly elections in the Capital, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday held consultations with party leaders, including Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) president Jai Prakash Agarwal and asked to ensure a greater coordination between the Government and the party so that a fourth successive victory can be achieved.
This was the third meeting chaired by Rahul Gandhi to iron out differences between the party and the Government. Dikshit and Agarwal were given time to explain their point of views about plugging the yawning gap between the Government and the organisation.
According to party sources, the party high command has directed DPCC chief to constitute various committees such as executive committee, manifesto committee, publicity committees, vice president committee and general secretary committee for the elections.
During the meeting, Dikshit has reportedly appraised the leadership about publicity campaign to highlight her Government's achievements for the elections.
This was part of Gandhi's monthly meetings with leaders from States going to polls later this year, which include Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi and Rajasthan.
This was the third such meeting by him to impress upon Dikshit and Agarwal that it was high time for them to bury the hatchet as the party and Government need to put in joint efforts to win the elections in the national Capital. Ahmed Patel, Political Secretary to Congress president Sonia Gandhi and party general secretaries Janardhan Dwivedi and Birender Singh were also present during the deliberations. Singh is in-charge of party affairs in Delhi.
Agarwal has long complained that the Delhi Government has ignored the party organisation while making policy decisions, Dikshit asserted the Government was rarely involved in appointing DPCC office bearers.
Earlier, interacting with DPCC office bearers, MPs, MlAs and party workers separately, Gandhi has asked them to work together for the upcoming Assembly elections.
Concerned over the reports of alleged cold war among the lobbies of DPCC and the Government, Gandhi warned that he will take a stern view of such activities if any in future.