Amidst dilly-dallying over pre-poll alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the national Capital, Delhi Congress president Sheila Dikshit on Tuesday convened an urgent meeting with three working presidents of  Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) on Tuesday. The party leaders of the Delhi unit, however, maintained that the meeting was called to decide the selection of candidates, a senior party leader said.

“There was no talk of an alliance during the meeting. An urgent meeting was called and it was decided that the selection of candidates should begin,” he said, adding that there were around 70 applications received by the party from Delhi Congress leaders for seven seats in Delhi

He further said that a screening committee of the Congress including Delhi unit president Sheila Dikshit wills shortlist names of the probable candidates from among the applications received so far. The shortened list will be sent to top leadership for final selection, he said.

The meeting with the three working presidents Devender Yadav, Haroon Yusuf and Rajesh Lilothia comes in the backdrop of Congress mulling its options to forge an alliance with the AAP in Delhi in its bid to prevent diversion of votes in Lok Sabha elections.

However, Sources in the Congress confirmed that the party’s top leadership is mulling options to align with the Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi and the decision in this regard would be announced very soon.

AICC general secretary in-charge of Delhi Congress PC Chacko said, “I am in consultation with Congress party leaders in Delhi on the possibilities of forging an alliance with AAP.

“The Congress Working Committee has decided to align with like-minded parties across the country to defeat the BJP in Lok Sabha elections.

I hope Delhi Congress leaders also go by this sentiment and decide on an alliance with AAP, but a final decision will be taken by the Congress president very soon,” Chacko told.

Chacko’s views are at variance with Delhi Congress president Sheila Dikshit, who has made it clear that aligning with AAP will not be in the party’s interests.