Sonia, Sheila meet to discuss poll strategy

New Delhi: Delhi Congress president Sheila Dikshit on Saturday met senior party leader Sonia Gandhi to discuss the state unit's preparedness for the coming Lok Sabha elections and rejected the issue of alliance, with the ruling AAP, for the Lok Sabha polls was discussed during their meeting.

The source said that the former chief minister also apprised Gandhi about the party booth presidents’ convention scheduled to be held at the Indira Gandhi stadium on March 11. The meet will be addressed by party president Rahul Gandhi. 

However, sources said the issue of alliance with the AAP in Delhi was discussed during the meeting. “The decision (against alliance with AAP) after meeting Rahul Gandhi still continues, that is all,” Dikshit told PTI when asked whether the alliance issue came up during her meeting with Sonia Gandhi. 

AICC sources said, “The issue of alliance was discussed between Sonia Gandhi and Dikshit and the former asked her to consider the consequences of vote split between the AAP and the Congress, paving way for victory of BJP in the polls.”
 
The Delhi Congress leaders strongly rejected any talks of alliance between the two leaders. 

“Sheila ji went to invite Sonia Gandhi for our booth workers convention scheduled on Monday and it's a rumour that issue of alliance, which has already been rejected, was discussed,” said Devender Yadav, working president of the Delhi Congress. 

Sonia Gandhi has already said the Congress president will take decisions on all matters concerning the party, said another working president of the Delhi unit Rajesh Lilothia. “In such a situation, how can she say anything that is contrary to Rahul Gandhi's stand on alliance issue?” he said. 

Earlier this week, the Congress president told reporters that the Delhi Congress is against alliance with the AAP in the national capital for the upcoming general elections. Dikshit, after meeting Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday, said there was unanimity in the party against alliance with the AAP. 

Delhi AAP leader Gopal Rai on Thursday said the Congress president should “responsibly” take a decision in this regard considering challenges faced by the country like the “dictatorship” of the BJP government at the Centre.