AAP government's confrontationist attitude towards the Lt Governor and Centre has virtually stalled administration and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is trying to revive the issue of full statehood to Delhi to divert attention from his failures, three-time Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said today.
In a stinging attack on Kejriwal, Dikshit said people of the city were the "real sufferers" in AAP government's fight with the Centre and LG Najeeb Jung on a series of issues.
"You cannot run a government adopting a confrontationist attitude. They have been fighting with the LG, they have been fighting with the Centre on virtually every issue. People of Delhi are suffering because of it,"Dikshit told PTI.
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The 78-year-old Congress veteran said Kejriwal recently released a draft bill on full statehood to Delhi with an aim to revive the issue to "hide his failures" in fulfillng the election promises.
"Delhi has a unique administrative set up. You must respect the constitutional provisions. We have ensured Delhi's development under the same set up. We had differences with the Centre but they were sorted out amicably," said Dikshit, whose party was handed a crushing defeat by AAP in 2014 polls.
The former Chief Minister said there was virtually no administration and that Delhi's development can be ensured through cooperation and not confrontation.
"I have a feeling that whenever Kejriwal faces criticism, he tries to divert attention. He has brought this statehood bill to divert attention from his failures. Delhi can be granted statehood only by Parliament," said Dikshit.
She said the AAP government has "totally failed" to take Delhi forward on the path of development.
"They have done nothing in the last one year. The city is suffering because of their inefficiency," she said.
Asked about the electoral drubbing Congress suffered in the Assembly polls, Dikshit said the party had faced bigger crises but emerged stronger from electoral reverses.
"The party will come out of it strongly. I do not have any doubt about it," she said.
She said Dalits and Muslims were feeling "insecure" under
the Modi government at the Centre and termed the situation as alarming.
Dikshit was made Congress' Chief Ministerial candidate considering her Brahmin background as the party felt it will help it win back support of the community, which has a sizeable vote base in UP.
Born into a Punjabi Khatri family, Dikshit is the daughter-in-law of Congress heavyweight from UP late Uma Shankar Dikshit, a tall Brahmin leader who had served as a Union minister and governor for a long time.
The Brahmin community, a traditional vote bank of Congress, had shifted allegiance to BJP in the aftermath of the Mandir-Mandal politics.
A large chunk of Brahmin votes had also gone to Mayawati's BSP in the past when she gave tickets to many candidates belonging to the community.
The community's support determines the poll outcome in several seats in central and eastern UP.
