Sheila Dikshit had disagreements with PC Chacko before the Lok Sabha elections too.
Delhi Congress chief Sheila Dikshit today denied receiving any letter from senior Congress leader PC Chacko on the party's state of affairs in the national capital, indicating that she was in no mood for reconciliation amid an ongoing power struggle.
"I am not replying to his letters because I haven't received any letter from him," Ms Dikshit told news agency ANI. "I have my own working style, which I will continue with."
In a letter sent on Tuesday, Mr Chacko -- the party leader in-charge of Delhi -- had told Ms Dikshit that he has instructed working presidents to act independently in their areas because she was reportedly hospitalised with health issues. The former Chief Minister's refusal to acknowledge any such letter is being seen as an indication that the political tug-of-war in the Delhi Congress is far from over.
This letter was the fourth sent by Mr Chacko, following those on June 29, July 1 and July 13. The party leader has denied receiving replies for any of them until now.
The Congress leader started writing the letters last month, after Ms Dikshit "unilaterally" appointed district and block-level observers in view of the upcoming assembly polls. "I am sorry to say that a senior leader of your stature should not have flouted the AICC directive and taken this decision," he said in the letter dated July 13.
Mr Chacko maintains that the Delhi Congress chief should have taken the step after consulting him as well as working presidents Rajesh Lilothia, Haroon Yusuf and Devender Yadav.
The Congress leader had earlier "stayed" Ms Dikshit's decision to dissolve 280 block committees formed by her predecessor, Ajay Maken, in the city. Many in the party believed that the former Chief Minister's move was an attempt to stamp her authority by reconstituting them under her leadership.
The power struggle, which comes in the wake of the party's losses in all the seven parliamentary seats of the national capital, has been further intensified by Rahul Gandhi's resignation from the position of Congress chief. Mr Chacko and the Delhi Congress chief had sparred even before the elections over joining hands with Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party.
(With inputs from ANI)