Congress candidate from the New Delhi Assembly seat, Sandeep Dikshit, conceded defeat on Saturday as early trends showed him trailing behind BJPs Parvesh Verma and AAPs Arvind Kejriwal. While acknowledging the mandate of the people, Dikshit also expressed confidence in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), stating that it is likely to form the next government in Delhi.

Dikshit, son of former three-time Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, was looking to reclaim the Congresss lost ground in the constituency that once stood as a stronghold for his mother. However, the battle in New Delhi turned into a fierce contest primarily between AAPs Arvind Kejriwal and BJPs Parvesh Verma, with Verma gaining the edge in the later stages, leaving Dikshit behind in the race.

A Legacy Attempted to Be Revived

The New Delhi constituency has been a politically significant battleground since 2013 when Arvind Kejriwal, then an anti-corruption activist, shocked the nation by defeating Sheila Dikshit with a massive margin of over 25,000 votes. That election marked the beginning of Kejriwals political rise and the decline of Congress in Delhi politics. This time, Congress fielded Sandeep Dikshit to challenge Kejriwal and reclaim his familys political legacy.

By choosing Sandeep Dikshit, Congress signaled a direct confrontation with AAP, ending any hesitation about challenging Kejriwals dominance. The party, which had been struggling for relevance in Delhis political landscape, hoped to make a strong comeback with the son of its most successful former chief minister.

Building on Sheila Dikshits Legacy

Sandeep Dikshit had been actively working to reconnect with the people of Delhi, focusing on his mothers legacy of governance. His campaign was centered around the developmental vision and governance model that Sheila Dikshit had championed during her tenure from 1998 to 2013.

There was a long-standing grievance within the Congress that Sheila Dikshit was sidelined in her later years, especially during the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections when she was initially projected as the Congresss Brahmin CM face but later dropped in favor of an alliance with the Samajwadi Party. This was a sentiment that Sandeep Dikshit subtly addressed in his outreach to voters.

His slogan, Meri Delhi, Meri Shaan (My Delhi, My Pride), echoed his mothers earlier campaign messaging. Dikshit adopted a grassroots approach, conducting door-to-door campaigns and directly engaging with voters in an attempt to rebuild Congresss support in the capital.

Political Career

Born on August 15, 1964, Dikshit completed his BA (Hons) in History from St. Stephens College in 1985. He pursued a Masters degree in History and later obtained a Post Graduate Diploma in Rural Management from the Institute of Rural Management in Gujarat.

Before entering mainstream politics, Dikshit was actively involved in social development work. He founded Sanket, a social development organization, and played a key role in preparing a sub-national Human Development Report for Madhya Pradesh. His career spanned various voluntary organizations across northern, central, and western India.

Dikshit was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 2004 and retained his seat for another term in 2009. He served as the Chief Whip of the Congress Party from 2012-2014 and was also a National Spokesperson for the party.

However, his political career has not been without controversies. In June 2019, Dikshit faced criticism for comparing the behavior of the late Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat, to that of a goon on the street. He later apologized for the remark. Additionally, he has been one of the most vocal critics of Arvind Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party.

Despite his loss, Dikshits presence in the political arena signals Congresss continued efforts to regain its influence in Delhi. While this election did not go in his favor, his campaign revitalized discussions about the legacy of Sheila Dikshit and the Congresss role in the citys governance.

Currently, he also serves as an adjunct faculty member at OP Jindal Global University, Sonepat, where he teaches human development and public policy.