Delhi Cong chief mum on Dikshit's accusation of noncooperation

Nature of defeat was 'totally unexpected' which will be thoroughly examined by the party, says J P Agarwal

Stung by the massive defeat, Congress' Delhi unit chief J P Agarwal today said the party would analyse the reason for the debacle but refused to respond to criticism by Sheila Dikshit who has accused him of not enthusiastically backing her in the polls.

Agarwal, who is not known to have a good equation with the outgoing Chief Minister, said the nature of defeat was "totally unexpected" which will be thoroughly examined by the party.

"Dikshit is a senior and respected leader of the party," Agarwal told PTI when asked about Dikshit's comment yesterday that he did not back her fully in the election.

Giving reasons for the defeat, she had also said that the party was not active and that there was absence of coordination between it and the government in Delhi.

"The party was not active enough," she had said elaborating that though her government had prepared a lot of documentation about the work done by it, the party merely told the people "bahut kaam hua (lot of work has been done)". That is not enough, she had said.

Asked if she was blaming Agarwal, she had responded with a terse, "well, if I am head of the government, I have to take that responsibility", suggesting that the DPCC chief should do the same.

"I don't think so," she had replied when asked if Agarwal was fully with her.

When asked if this was deliberate, Dikshit said, "I would not like to sort of assume these things. But yes, I think there should have been a little more activity (on the part of the party unit)."

The Congress faced a humiliating defeat in the polls, winning only eight seats in the 70-member assembly which was way behind BJP's 31 and newcomer Aam Admi Party's (AAP) 28.

Dikshit, herself, faced an ignominious defeat in New Delhi constituency by a huge margin of over 25,000 votes at the hands of Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal.