Back in the Game: Sheila Dikshit Appointed Delhi Congress Chief

Former Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken congratulated Sheila Dikshit for being appointed the DPCC president.

Newly-appointed state Congress president of Delhi, Sheila Dikshit. 

(Photo: IANS)

The Congress party appointed former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit as the Delhi Congress president on Thursday, 10 January.

At a press conference, AICC in-charge of Delhi Congress PC Chacko announced the decision, adding that Devendra Yadav, Rajesh Lilothia and Haroon Yusuf have been appointed working presidents, news agency ANI reported.

On her appointment, Dikshit said, “I am honoured that the party has given me this opportunity.”

Chacko also said there were no talks within the Delhi unit about alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and that the party was fully prepared to contest the parliamentary election on its own.

After the announcement, former Congress Delhi chief Ajay Maken, who had resigned from the post on 4 January, congratulated Dikshit.

“I congratulate Shiela Dikshit ji for being appointed the DPCC (Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee) President. I am confident that under her leadership, we will play the role of strong opposition to Modi and Kejriwal governments,” he told news agency ANI.

Maken had cited health reasons for quitting the post.

Dikshit, 80, had served as the Delhi chief minister from 1998 to 2013. She has mostly stayed away from active politics since the Congress party went out of power in the national capital.