Ajay Maken, Sheila Dikshit bury hatchet; Delhi Cong unites ahead of bypolls

On Valentine's Day, the Delhi Congress witnessed a coming together of the mentor and the protege after a bitter parting of ways almost a decade back.

Former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and Delhi Congress President Ajay Maken shared the stage on Wednesday, ahead of the much anticipated bypolls to 20 assembly seats that fell vacant after the disqualification of AAP legislators for holding offices of profit.

"It's my fault and I will correct it. Had we been together like this, we would have won the MCD elections," Maken told reporters at a press conference, flanked by Dikshit and senior Congress leaders Sajjan Kumar, A K Walia, Haroon Yusuf and Mangat Ram Singhal.

Once a protege of Dikshit, Maken parted ways and carved a niche for himself in national politics as a Union Minister in UPA I and II after it was perceived that the then Delhi Chief Minister was keen on promoting her son Sandeep over other young leaders in the capital.

Maken's attempts to rebuild the Congress in the capital ignoring Dikshit supporters came at the cost of a poor show in the Delhi civic polls last year. BJP retained control over the three municipal corporations with AAP coming second and the Congress a poor third.

With Congress President Rahul Gandhi sending a clear message of unity, Maken reached out to Dikshit last week, with Sharmistha Mukherjee, the Delhi Mahila Congress chief, as the emissary.

Rapprochement hints

After four rounds of meetings and an assurance to accommodate half-a-dozen of her loyalists in the organisation, Dikshit agreed to the peace proposal put forth by Maken.

The first hints of the rapprochement were given by Maken himself on Twitter when he praised Dikshit last week.

"Met Mrs Sheila Dikshit and requested her for more active role in Delhi Congress. Delhi now remembers her for a sane & development oriented Governance. Sheila ji had a great role in mentoring me as her Cabinet Minister. We will all work together to regain the glory of Delhi," he said.