AAP-Congress Alliance Almost Certain As Ajay Maken Quits As Delhi Congress Chief Citing ‘Ill Health’

In a move that may pave the way for return of the former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit to Delhi politics and seal an electoral pact with Aam Aadmi party, Delhi Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Maken tendered resignation from his post ostensibly on the ground of ill health, reports ANI.

Congress national president Rahul Gandhi has reportedly accepted Maken’s resignation, who is likely to be given a position in All India Congress Committee (AICC).

Maken is a trenchant critic of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) founder and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his exit will make it easy for the Congress to ally with the AAP.

AAP and the Congress are currently engaged in discussions to strike an electoral alliance. The electoral partnership will not be limited to just the seven Lok Sabha seats in the national capital but also for seats in Haryana and Punjab.

Kejriwal who has been a fierce critic of Congress, has of late toned down his rhetoric against the party. His reconciliatory approach was widely seen as a prelude to an alliance.

The resignation of AAP MP and lawyer-activist H S Phoolka from AAP is also seen as another sign that the alliance is now more or less finalised. Phoolka has been fighting an inspired legal battle to deliver justice to the victims of 1984 Sikh riots in Delhi masterminded by Congress leaders. According to sources in privy of the negotiations between the two parties, AAP is likely to settle for four out of the 13 seats.

“I am very thankful for the love and respect I received from party workers, the media and national president Rahul Gandhi, as Delhi Congress president from the year 2015, and the four years since. It wasn’t easy working in such difficult circumstances; much gratitude from the bottom of my heart,” Mr. Maken said on Twitter.