Sheila Dikshit declines role as Congress' face for Uttar Pradesh polls

New Delhi: Former three-time Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has declined to become the Congress’ face for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections slated for 2017.

According to a report in the Indian Express, Dikshit has conveyed her refusal to be the possible Congress CM candidate for Uttar Pradesh, to the party’s high command.

Congress’ UP strategist Prashant Kishor had recommended fielding a Brahmin face as the CM candidate, but with Dikshit’s refusal, the party’s search continues.

Read: ACB to quiz Sheila Dikshit, Kejriwal in tanker scam, registers FIR

Dikshit had met Sonia Gandhi earlier in June to discuss the plan, but did not discuss the issue with the media at that time.

The refusal comes even as Delhi LG Najeeb Jung forwarded a complaint of corruption against the former chief minister in a 400-crore water tanker deal. The complaint was made by Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.

The report said 78-year-old Dikshit had become the top choice for Uttar Pradesh because of her record in Delhi and her family ties to the state - her father-in-law Uma Shankar Dikshit was a prominent Congressman from UP.