Amidst the brewing elections, the resignation of Arvinder Singh Lovely as the president of the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee has set off a frenzy within the party ranks. Mallikarjun Kharge, the Congress President, has tasked KC Venugopal, the Congress General Secretary in charge of the organization, with the pivotal job of parleying with Lovely and resolving the internal squabbles that have spilled into the public eye. In a detailed four-page letter tendered alongside his resignation, Arvinder has cited multiple reasons for his departure.
'This matter should be taken seriously...'
Following Lovely's resignation, Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit commented that everything Arvinder wrote and expressed through his letter should be taken into consideration by the party. Describing him as an asset to Congress, Dikshit emphasized the senior leadership's need to address the issue seriously and avoid actions that could hinder the accomplishments of the party in the state. Amidst all this turmoil, it is said that Arvinder Singh Lovely is in considerable distress and deserves the high command's earnest attention.
'He's Going to Join the BJP...'
Ex-Congress MLA Asif Mohammed Khan, outside Arvinder Singh Lovely's residence, has accused Lovely of preparing to join the BJP, revealing discussions at a meeting held at the farmhouses of Subhash Chopra and Ramvir Singh Bidhuri.
Why did Lovely resign?
Arvinder Singh Lovely has been under pressure to execute disciplinary action against several leaders, but the catalyst for his resignation was the office inauguration poster of Kanhaiya Kumar, a Congress candidate from North East Delhi. The absence of senior Congress leaders from Kanhaiya's posters has incited considerable anger within party ranks.
The Dispute with Deepak Babaria
Cases have emerged illustrating dissatisfaction with Babaria's management style. According to Lovely, there has been immense pressure on him to oust leaders opposing Babaria.
He poured out his heart in the resignation letter, feeling helpless within the party, unable to continue as the Delhi president. Lovely also depicted how unilateral blockages on collective decisions for Delhi by the in-charge (Deepak Babaria) have rendered him without permission to appoint anyone to senior positions since he became the party president.
Significant Remarks on Alliance with AAP
In a forward-looking statement within his letter, Arvinder Singh Lovely expressed his disapproval of the alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), emphasizing that the Delhi Congress unit was against allying with a party formed on the basis of false, malicious corruption charges against Congress and where half of the AAP's cabinet ministers are embroiled in corruption charges and jailed. Despite this, the Congress decided to align with AAP in Delhi.
Respecting the party's final decision, Lovely not only publicly supported this move but also ensured that the state unit operated in accordance with the high command's directives. He also mentioned reluctantly going to Arvind Kejriwal's residence on the night of Kejriwal's arrest, following the orders of the Delhi in-charge.
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Expresses Discontent Over Seat Distribution in Delhi
After the alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party, Congress was left to contest only 3 parliamentary seats in Delhi. Upon discovering the reduced seat share through the news, Lovely took a step back ensuring that tickets were available for other senior leaders. Despite observers and local party activists preferring other candidates, the nominees for the Northwest and Northeast Delhi were virtual strangers to Delhi Congress and its policies.
Kanhaiya and Udit Raj's Candidature Stirs Controversy
Kanhaiya Kumar's candidacy from Northeast Delhi and Udit Raj's from Northwest Delhi sparked internal protests within Congress.
