Politics takes over Talkatora

The indoor stadium decks up for Congress session

The national capital has had enough of the Commonwealth Games and it's back to being the political hub than the sporting city it turned out to be.The Talkatora Indoor Stadium, venue for the boxing event during the Games, has started decking up for the one-day session of the All India Congress Committee which will be held there on November 2.


Game on: The Talkatora Indoor Stadium was venue for the boxing event
during CWG 2010. file pic

Newly-elected Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) chief Jai Prakash Aggarwal would be the chief organiser of the event and is expected to be assisted by several Delhi ministers and newly-appointed party's state unit delegates.

The stadium was completely renovated for the Commonwealth Games and several delegates are excited about the venue. "Several party meetings have been held in the past at the Talkatora stadium but this time the renovations for the Game would add to the occasion," a DPCC delegate told MiD DAY, requesting anonymity.
Congress flags, banners and cut outs of the party's veterans are set to replace the Games graffiti in the stadium, situated near the Congress headquarters on Akbar Road.

Aggarwal visited the stadium on Tuesday to take stock of the preparations. Talking to MiD DAY, he explained that he would fix the responsibilities for each senior leader and entrust him with a department. "We are yet to decide on who would be given which department," he said.

"There will be different committees namely reception committee, accommodation committee, food committee, water committee, decoration committee, press committee and others. Within a couple of days, chairman of different committees and its members will be finalised," Aggarwal told MiD DAY.

Although final menu will be decided in a couple of days after the announcement of names of members of food committee, but, according to sources, the participants would be treated to both north Indian and south Indian dishes besides the famous food items of old Delhi.

The buzz inside the party is that unlike last time, there will be fewer roles for Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and leaders close to her. "Last time many Delhi Congress leaders did not show enough enthusiasm in organising the AICC session at Talkatora Indoor Stadium as many were ignored or were given responsibility which did not," said a local Congress leader, requesting anonymity.