Ex-Delhi Cong chiefs meet Sonia, new chief of city unit likely to be named soon

The Delhi Congress might get its new chief in the next two-three days, party sources said, referring to a meeting of its interim president Sonia Gandhi with former chiefs of the grand old party's city unit here on Thursday.

Gandhi regularly met senior Delhi Congress leaders over the past few weeks in order to fill the president's post in the city unit of the party, which fell vacant after Sheila Dikshit's demise in July.

"Gandhi was told by the former Delhi Congress presidents that the next chief should be one who could take all the workers and leaders together in view of the Assembly election early next year. It was also conveyed to her that any delay in announcing the name of the Delhi Congress president may not be in the best interests of the party," said one of the leaders who attended Thursday's meeting.

The sources claimed that Gandhi told the leaders that she would convey her decision in the "next two-three days".

All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of its Delhi unit PC Chacko, who was present at the meeting, said Gandhi was also assured by the leaders that her decision would be acceptable to the entire Delhi Congress.

"The decision of Soniaji will be announced very soon," Chacko told PTI.

Another leader, who attended the meeting, hinted that the new Delhi Congress chief could be a senior person who had the experience of holding the post in the past.

"As the Assembly polls are fast approaching, the party is going to give this responsibility to someone who has had the experience of working as the Delhi Congress president in the past," he said.

The meeting was attended by former Delhi Congress presidents Tajdar Babar, Subhash Chopra, Arvinder Singh Lovely and Ajay Maken. Another former Delhi Congress chief, JP Agarwal, could not attend the meeting as he was out of station.