Maken targets Sheila, says result extension of 2013 mandate

New Delhi, Feb 13: Unfazed by Shiela Dikshit's attack on him, Congress leader Ajay Maken on Friday sought to put the blame on the former Delhi Chief Minister for the poll debacle, remarking that it was just an "extension of the 2013 mandate".

Maken, who was subjected to a volley of questions at the AICC briefing on the remarks of Dikshit as also that of her son and party leader Sandeep Dikshit, initially steered clear of the issue.

He recalled how Congress in-charge for Delhi affairs P C Chacko had yesterday virtually asked Shiela to shut up after Sonia Gandhi had disapproved of senior leaders quarrelling in the open.

"I will personally go and meet her, ask her where we went wrong so we can take care in future", Maken remarked taking the battle to the Sheila camp.

Maken refused to react when asked as to what the party would do with people "who are trying to make holes in the party ship caught in a storm".

He said that even after Sonia's remarks, if someone was not amenable, then "it is for the concerned people to look at it and take appropriate action", he said in an obvious reference to the Disciplinary Action Committee headed by senior leader A K Antony.

Maken, who led the Congress in the Assembly polls, remarked that whatever has happened in the elections was just "extension of the 2013 mandate" at which time Shiela was the Chief Minister.

The voter made up his mind to give five years to Arvind Kejriwal after he pleaded his helplessness to do much during the 49-day government. Maken said that a stock taking exercise has already begun at the AICC after he along with PCC Chief Arvinder Singh Lovely and Chacko met Rahul Gandhi together and held separate consultations with Sonia Gandhi.

He said that the resignations of three of them were with the party leadership and no decision has been taken so far on them.

An open war had yesterday broken out in Congress over its whitewash in Delhi elections with 76-year-old Sheila Dikshit remarking, "I just pity him. Ajay Maken was not the way to put the right focus. He thought he would do all by himself. He did not involve anyone else. Quite obviously his style did not help the Congress party"

PTI