Sheila Dikshit Cites Rajiv Gandhi, Says "No Talk Of Alliance With AAP"

Sheila Dikshit, who takes over as Delhi Congress chief from Ajay Maken, said today that there is "no talk of any alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)" yet. "AAP and BJP both are an equal challenge to us, we will meet the challenges together," said the three-time chief minister.

The 80-year-old indicated her objection to any truck with AAP which, she said, had spoken poorly of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi during a discussion in the Delhi assembly.

"The way they talked about Rajiv Gandhi in the assembly... we were hurt by it and it was not right," she said. "There have been no talks with AAP," she added, responding to questions.

Ms Dikshit takes over from Ajay Maken, who quit in the beginning of this month citing health reasons. There was speculation, however, that Mr Maken did not see eye-to-eye with the party leadership on the possibility of an alliance for the upcoming national election with Arvind Kejriwal's party, which came to power in Delhi in 2015 after decimating the Congress.

There was speculation, however, that Ajay Maken did not see eye-to-eye with the party leadership on the possibility of an alliance for the upcoming national election with Arvind Kejriwal's party (File Photo)

Mr Maken was seen as the hurdle in the Congress's plan to cobble a grand opposition grouping, which could include AAP in Delhi.

"Politics is a game of challenges, we will strategise accordingly," said Ms Dikshit.

"The Congress high command led by Rahul Gandhi will decide the profit and loss of the alliance and mahagathbandhan, we will follow whatever will be the decision of high command," she commented.

To a question on party chief Rahul Gandhi as president, she said: "We want Rahul Gandhi to be the PM of the nation, the rest depends on time."

"The way they talked about Rajiv Gandhi in the assembly... we were hurt by it and it was not right," Sheila Dikshit said. "There have been no talks with AAP," she added, responding to questions (File Photo)

AAP has sharpened its attack on the Congress after Sheila Dikshit's appointment as Delhi chief.

The party's Gopal Rai said the AAP political affairs committee would take a call on any tie-up with Congress, but added: "There is no time to wait and our preparations have started in all the seven constituencies in Delhi."

The Delhi minister also said the Congress had lost all elections in Delhi over the past few years and would only cut into AAP's votes.