Cong feud out in open after Lovely quits post
■ Section of leaders demand removal of Babaria
The resignation of Congress Delhi unit chief Arvinder Singh Lovely in protest against the alliance with AAP brought the party’s factional feud into the open, with a section of leaders on Sunday demanding the removal of AICC Delhi incharge Deepak Babaria.
A scuffle also broke out outside Mr Lovely’s residence as his supporters allegedly pushed exCongress MLA Asif Mohammed Khan who had reached after his resignation.
While the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) termed it as an internal matter of the Congress, the BJP said Mr Lovely has listened to the voice of his conscience as no patriot can stand with those who talk about dividing the country and claimed there would be further repercussions for the Congress.
Some party workers gathered outside Mr Lovely’s residence and raised slogans against Mr Babaria who, meanwhile, stressed that all DPCC leaders were taken into confidence on the alliance issue and Mr Lovely should have aired his views before the party panels.
“Ahead of the formation of the alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi, the DPCC leaders and workers were taken into confidence. He (Lovely) was part of all the committees and panels. He should have raised his objections back then. Anyone who distances themselves from any party or posts tends to find a reason to do so,” Mr Babaria told reporters.
As a scuffle broke out outside Mr Lovely’s residence, Mr Khan said, “This was an internal matter and he should have reached out to the Congress president. By releasing his resignation letter in the media, he is providing an advantage to the BJP.”
Mr Khan alleged that the BJP will replace its East Delhi candidate Harsh Malhotra and Mr Lovely will be declared by the BJP party as its candidate from the constituency.
At a press conference later, Mr Lovely made it clear that he has only resigned from the party post and is not joining any political party.
Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva said that Mr Lovely has responded to the voice of his conscience and the implosion within the Congress started the moment the party announced its Lok Sabha candidates.
Former Delhi minister Rajkumar Chauhan, who resigned from the party on Wednesday, said Mr Babaria should be removed as the AICC incharge of Delhi.
“Lovely has resigned. I have also resigned. The Delhi in-charge told me to get out of a meeting. Remove Mr Babaria from Delhi and save Congress.” Mr Chauhan said.
Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit, the son of former chief minister Sheila Dikshit, said, “He is pained. There is a personal pain as a Congress worker and as Delhi Congress chief. I think attention needs to be paid to what he said.”
Former Congress MLA Neeraj Basoya said, “Mr Lovely has resigned after seeing the sentiments of the Congress workers. Mr Babaria’s style of functioning has created problems everywhere, be it Delhi or Haryana, and all the workers are angry.”
AAP senior leader Saurabh Bharadwaj said it was an internal matter of their senior ally Congress.
“It won’t be appropriate for me to comment on the matter. AAP is fighting on the four seats. It is contesting with full strength and we are hopeful that people will vote for the INDIA bloc candidates on all the seven seats in Delhi,” the AAP leader said.
Senior BJP leader and former Union minister Harsh Vardhan said it was inevitable as the grassroots workers had not accepted the AAPCongress alliance.