Cong witnesses dissent over distribution of MCD poll tickets

The Delhi Congress today witnessed dissent over the distribution of MCD polls ticket, with three -time MLA Ambrish Gautam resigning from the party to join the BJP and another senior leader A K Walia threatening to quit.
Walia, three-time cabinet minister in the erstwhile Sheila Dikshit government, vocally expressed his resentment alleging "irregularities" and violation of party rules in selection of candidates.
"I have written a letter to Delhi Congress President Ajay Maken, complaining against irregularities and violation of party rules in ticket distribution and if things do not change, I will quit the party," Walia told PTI.
He also said that opinion of ex-legislators of the party was used in deciding the names of candidates but it was "undermined" this time.

Congress, however, downplayed Walia's resentment with chief spokesperson of Delhi Congress Sharmishtha Mukherjee terming it to be a "creation" by media.
"It has been hyped much by media that has created it," she said.

Former Delhi Congress president Subhash Chopra said that the ticket distribution was done in a "most transparent" manner by the party and claimed that Walia was not going anywhere.
"I talked to him and he said that there was nothing as such and words were put in his mouth."
However, Walia alleged that a "genuine" woman candidate from one of the four wards in Laxmi Nagar constituency that he represented in the past was replaced at the last moment with another candidate despite his objection.

Another senior party leader and former Deputy Speaker of Delhi Assembly Ambrish Singh Gautam today quit Congress to join the BJP along with his son Avinash Gautam.
"I have left Congress as no discussion was held with me in deciding names of candidates for MCD polls," said Ambrish, a three-time MLA.
He joined the BJP in the presence of senior leaders including national vice president Vinay Sahsrabuddhe and Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta.
Congress alleged that he was demanding ticket for his son and when turned down he left the party.
"Earlier, his family had been given tickets in the past for MCD polls. But this time his demand was refused to give chance to other workers which is why he has joined BJP to get ticket for his son," Chopra said.

Congress sources said that other senior leaders in party including Arvinder Singh Lovely and Haroon Yusuf too were "bitter" over "neglect of their supporters" in ticket distribution and have registered their "strong protest" with High Command of the party complaining against present state unit dispensation.