By IANS,
New Delhi : Sheila Dikshit, who led the Congress that is poised to emerge victorious for the third time in Delhi Monday, has personal appeal, said a political analyst, adding “BJP could have wrested power had they projected a tougher candidate”.
Political analyst G.V.L. Narasimha Rao maintained that anti-incumbency did not hit the Congress as the BJP lost the plot the day V.K. Malhotra was projected as the chief ministerial candidate.
“The Congress party has been able to win because of the personal appeal of Sheila Dikshit. The BJP could have wrested power had they projected a tougher candidate. Malhotra was simply not in sync with matters in Delhi,” Rao told IANS.
Several political leaders felt that BJP’s chief ministerial candidate V.K. Malhotra was not able to gauge the mood of the electorate.
Even the opposition BJP grudgingly admitted that Dikshit proved a better leader who helped the Congress win in Delhi for the third consecutive time.
“Personally, I think Arun Jaitley would have been a better choice as the party’s chief ministerial candidate. The result in Delhi has been disappointing,” said BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad.
“Despite internal turbulence, Dikshit was a unifying factor and this helped. She projected a much more grounded appeal and that is why the people have given her a third chance,” said Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari.