‘No talk of alliance with AAP yet,’ says Delhi Congress chief Sheila Dikshit

Sheila Dikshit took charge as Congress' Delhi chief in presence of large gathering of workers and senior leaders.

New Delhi: Congress leader Sheila Dikshit, who took over as the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) chief, said on Wednesday that no talks have been held yet on forging an alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

"Politics is full of challenges, we will strategise accordingly. The BJP and AAP both are a challenge; we will meet the challenges together. There is nothing on an alliance with AAP yet," Dikshit told news agency ANI before assuming charge as DPCC president.

Rajiv Bhawan, the office of the state Congress, wore a festive look as Dikshit took charge as the party's Delhi chief in presence of a large gathering of workers and senior leaders.

The enthused workers greeted the former Delhi chief minister as she reached the office at DDU Marg with slogans and drum beats. Chants like "Sheila Dikshit Ayi Hai, Badlaw Ki Andhi Layi Hai" "(Sheila Dikshit has come with a storm of change) were heard.

Three new working presidents -- Devender Yadav, Haroon Yusuf and Rajesh Lilothia -- also took charge along with Dikshit.

Sources in both AAP and Congress, however, claimed that chances of forging an alliance for the upcoming polls have emerged with the appointment of Dikshit.

Dikshit, who served as Delhi chief minister for three consecutive terms till 2013 before the Congress lost power, succeeded Ajay Maken.

Maken had vehemently opposed an alliance with the AAP criticising them over issues of governance and corruption.

The change of guard in Delhi Congress assumes significance as the party is gearing up to brighten its fortunes in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, considering that the BJP had bagged all the seven seats at stake in the capital in the last general elections.

With Dikshit at the helm of affairs, the party is looking to revive its fortunes in the national capital after a series of poll debacles starting with the loss of power in 2013. Dikshit said she will take the party to new heights in Delhi where it will replace all and sought help of ground-level workers.