Sandeep Dikshit not deliberately left out of star list: Cong

As senior Delhi Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit alleged that he does not figure in the star campaigners list for the February 8 elections as he has differences with top leaders, the party on Friday clarified that his name was not deliberately left out but if it is not there, it doesn't mean that he is not important.

"Sandeep Dikshit is a loyal soldier of the party and his importance is no less and at a time when our whole campaign is around the work done by Sheila Dikshit, the three- time Delhi Chief Minister," Congress spokesperson Sushmita Dev said that

Talking to IANS, Dikshit, the son of the late Sheila Dikshit, without naming anyone, said: "Some leaders in the AICC are not comfortable with me and I have serious differences with them...0 that is why my name has been kept out from the list of star campaigners."

The Congress had released the names of 40 star campaigners for the Delhi polls.

Apart from interim party chief Sonia Gandhi, former party chief Rahul Gandhi and General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi, the names of all former MPs were included, except Sandeep Dikshit.

With the party banking on the work done by Sheila Dikshit but ignoring her two-time MP son in the list of campaigners has led to resentment among Sandeep Dikshit's supporters.

A close aide of his said when the party's whole campaign is based on the work done by Sheila Dikshit as Chief Minister, then how can the party ignore Sandeep Dikshit who has been vocal against the AAP and BJP.

Though away from active campaigning, Dikshit has started a video series on Delhi and has been questioning the ruling AAP and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal through his "Kaam Ki Baat" videos.

Dikshit and supporters of the late former Chief Minister have been at loggerheads with party's Delhi in-charge P.C. Chacko and sought his removal.

However, these leaders are also not in the fray with many refusing to contest though Mangat Ram Singhal was keen but was denied a ticket, said sources.IANS