Lucknow, July 15 (KNN) Former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit was on Thursday named as Congress CM face in Uttar Pradesh where assembly elections are due next year.

The announcement was made by Congress General Secretary Janardan Dwivedi at the party headquarters in the national capital.

“For the first time your assumption has proved right,” he said, referring to media speculation that Dikshit, ousted from power in Delhi in December 2013, would be the face of the Congress in UP.

Meanwhile, the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Uttar Pradesh welcomed the party's move to project former Delhi CM as a CM candidate for upcoming UP assembly election next year.

Talking to KNN, the President of Indian Industry Association (IIA), Manish Goel said that Sheila Dikshit is better choice for UP.  There is no doubt that she is a competent chief minister. She would be a competent chief minister for the UP if she wins. Dikshit would give a tough fight to Akhilesh and Mayawati. 

The ASSOCHAM, UP President, Shailendra Jain said that as far as Delhi is concerned she had done a very good job for 15 years. This a big question mark that how she will tackle the goons in UP.  Industry demands for infrastructure and security. "We are facing huge problems as shops are being looted. Until or unless we are not safe, we can’t do the business.  She is a better choice than as compare to Akhilesh and Mayawati," he said.

This move can be seen as an attempt on the Congress Party’s part to win back its traditional upper caste voters.

The community, a traditional vote bank of the Congress, later shifted allegiance to the BJP. A large chunk of Brahmin votes had also gone to the BSP in the past when party supremo Mayawati gave tickets to many candidates belonging to the community. (KNN Bureau)