Sheila Dikshit blames Ajay Maken's leadership for Congress exodus

Launching a scathing attack on Delhi State Congress president Ajay Maken, former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit on Tuesday said the reason behind senior leaders quitting the party is the faulty system of the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC).

The former PCC head also opined that if the in-charge does not realise the dissatisfaction persisting among the party members, then what is the use of being the head.

"The approach which a PCC head should have, of taking everybody together, is not there. The primary reason behind people quitting the party is them being ignored, not listened to. So, out of frustration they are doing so. There is some problem with the prevailing system in the PCC. There is an urgent need to amend it," Dikshit told ANI.

Drawing a parallel between her and Maken, Dikshit said that no member thought of quitting the party under her tenure of 15 years.

"Yes of course. That is the reason (Ajay Maken's way of leadership). What else can be the reason? People worked with me for 15 years when Congress was in power. Did you hear any such news then of people leaving the party?" she said.

Dikshit also termed this as a setback for the party, especially ahead of the upcoming Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) polls.

Earlier today, Former Delhi Congress chief Arvinder Singh Lovely joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) along with Delhi Youth Congress president Amit Malik ahead of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) elections.

BJP president Amit Shah formally welcomed Lovely in the BJP in the presence of Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari.

According to sources, Lovely was upset over ticket distribution which compelled him to join the BJP.

He was one of the important ministers in Sheila Dikshit's Cabinet during the Congress rule in Delhi.