Congress says BJP main rival in Delhi civic polls, not AAP

New Delhi, April 3 (IANS) The Delhi Congress on Monday said that in the upcoming civic polls, the party is looking at a straight contest with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and not with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

"I think our fight is with the BJP, not the AAP. Woh (BJP) abhi josh me hain (They are high on enthusiasm). On the other hand, the AAP has been exposed. The Punjab and Goa results are for all to see," senior Delhi Congress leader and former Delhi assembly Speaker Subhash Chopra told IANS.

Asked about a few Congress leaders quitting the party and a few other seniors threatening to do so, Chopra said that although there is "some resentment", true Congressmen would not desert the party.

"Of course, there is some resentment in the party. And that is natural because there were 10-12 aspirants for each seat, but the ticket could be given to only one," he said.

"Those who did not get tickets, or senior leaders whose choice of candidates was not given tickets, are bound to be somewhat unhappy. But that does not mean they are quitting the party," Chopra said.

He said that Ashok Kumar Walia "did not even once speak" of quitting the Congress and that the words were put into his mouth.

"I have spoken to him just now and he said that he did not say anything to that effect," Chopra said.

He said that Amrish Gautam quit the party because his son was not given a ticket.

"Quitting your party because your son was not given a ticket? A true Congressman would never do that," he said.

Chopra said that a transparent method of ticket distribution was adopted this time around.

"Candidate's winnability and workers' choice were the criteria (for giving tickets). As many as 39,000 Congress workers were contacted over telephone before making a final choice," he said.

Earlier, speaking with media persons, Congress leader Sharmistha Mukherjee pointed out that the Congress had given tickets to 144 women candidates out of a total 272.

"The Congress walks the talk. It is committed to women empowerment. This time, out of 272 of our candidates, 144 are women," she said.

According to her, the Congress candidates also include highly-qualified professionals, such as Anisha Gupta and Anita Babbar, both of whom are qualified doctors.

"The Arvind Kejriwal cabinet does not have a single woman. They just talk of women empowerment. And why has Prime Minister Narendra Modi not got the Women Reservation Bill passed as yet?" she added.

Mukherjee also reiterated that the party gave tickets in a transparent manner after speaking with workers.

"The party has tried to give representation to all sections of society, especially women. The records of all those 39,000 calls made to workers are with us. Any disgruntled worker can listen to them," she said.