Supporters of 2 Congress leaders protest ‘snub’

NEW DELHI: Supporters of former Delhi minister

Raj Kumar Chauhan

and ex-MP

Mahabal Mishra

on Sunday protested outside Congress headquarters and the residence of party president Rahul Gandhi for denying tickets to their leaders. While sources claimed that candidates for all seven seats had been finalised, the party did not declare the list till late on Sunday.


While Chauhan was in contention from the reserved constituency of North West Delhi, Mishra, a Poorvanchali leader, was seeking ticket from West Delhi.

According to sources, the Congress working committee, at a meeting earlier this month, had finalised names of four candidates, including Chauhan. The names, however, were not formally announced.

“Chauhan was even informed after the meeting that his name had been finalised and was told to start preparing for the election. The party’s decision to give the ticket to somebody else came as a surprise. That is why hundreds of his supporters reached the Congress headquarters,” said a party leader, requesting anonymity.

Sources said caste equations within the community tilted the balance against Chauhan. A source said: “The party leadership got several representations from the ‘Balmiki’ community that it was being overlooked. Chauhan, who belongs to the ‘Khateek’ community, lost out to Congress working president Rajesh Lilothia, a ‘Balmiki’.”

Chauhan quelled speculation that he might quit the party. “I abide by the party’s decision. I have always been a Congressman and will remain one. When I came to know about the protests, I immediately called up people who were leading the agitation and asked them to come back,” said Chauhan, who won four consecutive Delhi assembly elections between 1993 and 2008.

While Congress was initially keen to field a Poorvanchali in Delhi, it finally seemed to have decided to go for Olympic silver-medallist wrestler Sushil Kumar, a Jat, from West Delhi. “I am trying to pacify my supporters, but they are angry over neglect of Poorvanchalis. West Delhi is dominated by Poorvanchalis and its (not giving ticket to Poorvanchali) impact will be visible in the results of eastern UP and Bihar also,” Mishra said. A three-time MLA from Naseerpur (deleted after delimitation) and Dwarka, Mishra was elected to the Lok Sabha in 2009.

Sources said Congress had finalised names of Sheila Dikshit from Chandni Chowk, JP Agarwal from North East Delhi, Ramesh Kumar from South Delhi and Arvinder Singh Lovely from East Delhi Lok Sabha seats.