Former Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee President Anil Chaudhary is a man to watch out for in the upcoming assembly elections. In an exclusive interview to Rahul Gahlawat of The Statesman, the Congress leader shared the party’s prospects for the assembly elections and the issues of Delhi.
Q: You represented Patparganj seat in 2008, which is now represented by former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. Has the constitutency been developed?
A: If you go there, you will find that not even a single road has been constructed. In fact during my tenure as an MLA, several development works were initiated but no progress has been made on them. For example, in place of a liquor shop in Pandav Nagar near Sanjay Lake, a proposal to convert it into a coffee shop or a park was made but no work has taken place on this. Similarly, in Kalyanvas area, the proposal to build a mall, a high rise building and a cycle track was not taken forward despite holding two meetings with the then CM Sheila Dikshit and assurance from RWA members. Due to these issues, I can say on record that Manish Sisodia is going to face defeat in the next election from Patparganj assembly and the people of my constituency will ensure this defeat.
Q: There are concerns about rising crime and deteriorating law and order in Delhi. What is your opinion on this?
A: The situation has worsened to the point where Delhi no longer feels safe for anyone. We hear about extortion, shootings, and crimes happening in broad daylight. The government is either unable or unwilling to control the situation. The same Arvind Kejriwal who once led protests for women’s safety and law and order has now allowed the city to descend into chaos. The image of Delhi has been tarnished under his rule. Delhi, once a source of pride, has now become synonymous with pollution, crime, and poor governance. Tourists hesitate to visit, and even Delhi’ites are losing their sense of pride in the city. Kejriwal’s government has failed to deliver on its promises, and the city is suffering as a result.
Q: AAP and BJP blame each other for the state of the capital, how does the Congress see this?
A: Both the Delhi government and the Centre’s LG have made the people of Delhi a football with both parties kicking it away from their goalposts. There was a BJP government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee at the Centre while Delhi was ruled by a Congress government led by Sheila Dikshit and there was a proper coordination between the then LG and CM. This was because both governments wanted to work in a positive manner and that’s why both sat at a table to resolve the issues of Delhi. But today we see that there is always a tussle between the LG and Delhi government. This is because both do not want to establish a professional partnership. It does not look good that one goes to the public, misleads them, plays the victim, and makes accusations just for votes. It is politically correct to level allegations against each other, and play politics. But at least don’t play politics when it comes to development. There’s so much drama happening one is begging, the Chief Minister sits on dharna, takes MLAs to the LG’s house, and the behavior of the LG is also questionable. The way people are being troubled, the way the LG is behaving, showing attitude, issuing orders at night, everything is being ruined. But I feel that all this is happening with full consent of both parties and it is a part of their strategy to stop Congress. But this time, Congress will receive the love of the people in Delhi.
Q: You filed the complaint that led to the investigation into the excise policy scam, and Kejriwal has said that he will go back to the public and let them decide whether he is innocent or guilty. What is your take on this?
A: Kejriwal is trying to escape accountability. He has been at the centre of multiple corruption scandals over the last 10 years, but he has always attempted to maintain a clean image by keeping himself out of direct involvement. The excise policy scam is one of the biggest corruption cases in Delhi’s history, and Kejriwal cannot absolve himself of responsibility. He claims that he will go to the public, but this is just a ploy to gain sympathy from his supporters. The public trusted him in 2013 with the hope of change, but he has only brought Delhi further down. For a decade while Congress ruled Delhi, not a single minister had to resign due to corruption. Not even a single accusation was made against any minister, and no minister ever had to step down. But here, in 10 years, the Chief Minister is being replaced solely due to corruption. Now Kejriwal claims that he will go to the court of the people, accompanied by just a few workers, staging sit-ins and creating a spectacle, organizing panchayats, saying he’s in the people’s court. This is the same Kejriwal who used to fill Ramlila Maidan, but it wasn’t because of his appeal it was because the people had hopes that the ground would fill up.
Q: Do you believe that the Delhi government will be able to fix potholes before Diwali, as they have promised?
A: It seems highly unlikely. When Congress left office in 2013, Delhi’s infrastructure was in good shape. However, in the last 10 years, very little work has been done. Take Patparganj, for example, where Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia is the representative. There hasn’t been any significant new development there, and the existing infrastructure has deteriorated. For four and a half years, the AAP government did nothing, and suddenly, after Kejriwal was released on bail, he began inspecting roads, claiming they were in poor condition. He seems to forget that he has been the chief minister during these years and should have focused on improving roads and investing in new infrastructure. Today, Delhi’s infrastructure has declined to a level similar to what it was before 1998 when the city was in poor shape. After Congress came to power in 1998, the city underwent a massive transformation. Projects like the construction of the Delhi Metro, new roads, modern buildings, and improved public transportation were all prioritized. Congress worked hard to make Delhi clean and beautiful. But now, under the AAP government, the existing infrastructure has not been properly maintained, let alone improved or expanded.
Q; The Congress has a legacy in Delhi as Sheila Dikshit ruled for more than a decade. However, for the last two elections, it seems there is a vacuum. Does Congress not have a strong face to counter Kejriwal, or is there some other issue with the party?
A: Look at the legacy of Congress 10 to 15 years. You have to understand that there was no lack of leadership here. Before Congress came to power, when the BJP ruled for five years, Delhi’s situation had deteriorated, and a lot of work needed to be done. People placed their trust in Congress in 1998, and for 15 continuous years, Sheila Dikshit and the Congress government worked tirelessly. Whether it was Delhi’s infrastructure, education, transportation, or the environment one of the biggest issues Congress made significant progress. I remember when old dieselrun buses were operating, and the private sector had a stronghold. Many important decisions were made in Delhi’s interest, and they benefited its residents. I believe the cleaner air in Delhi today and the positive memories people have of Delhi are the results of those efforts. Q: The issue of Bus Marshals and other temporary employees is very vocal in Delhi, what is your take on this? A: Today, look at the situation – 22,000 contractual teachers, whom Kejriwal promised jobs to in 2013, are still waiting for permanent employment. These teachers continue to receive daily wages, and if they don’t show up for a day, they are marked absent and don’t get paid. The issue with teachers is a sore point. You can see the same situation with contract employees – there’s a constant struggle regarding the marshals in Delhi’s buses. BJP and AAP have different stances on this matter. The AAP claims that the LG is not finalizing the issue, even though the policy has been passed in the Legislative Assembly with consensus. However, the BJP argues that Kejriwal himself removed the marshals, and that he should follow the proper process for appointing marshals. Similarly, there are many temporary and contractual employees whom Kejriwal promised to make permanent, but this process should go through the Legislative Assembly, not the LG. The LG is only a signing authority. The real issue here is Delhi’s future, its youth, unemployment, infrastructure, and environmental challenges. These are serious matters, and they should not be politicized.
Q: The Congress has announced a Yatra in Delhi similar to Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. Do you believe the party will get the momentum ahead of assembly elections in Delhi?
A: When we go among the people, we can hear their feedback, their struggles, and the pain of the people of Delhi and when we go to the villages, we hear it even more clearly. During my tenure as DPCC president, I’ve visited many areas but the Yatra was affected due to phases one and two of Covid 19. Despite that, I’ve gone to many places, and that’s why I feel that a positive approach is needed. I went to places like Dwarka, Najafgarh, and Patparganj among others and during the journey, many women came out with their children and shared their issues with us. They said that the school bus used to stop here, but now there’s a liquor shop nearby, almost like a showroom. What message are we sending to the children? Are we trying to draw them towards alcohol? These issues become clear when you meet people on the ground. This isn’t something new for Congress it’s part of our tradition. Rahul Gandhi led the Bharat Jodo Yatra, the Nyay Yatra, and even before that, Gandhi Ji used to organize journeys like this. There’s power in such journeys; even tyrants are forced to step back. We are seeing the same impact now, and if Congress is preparing for something similar, I welcome it. The party president will provide more details about this.