MCD polls: Big jolt to Congress! Senior leader AK Walia quits party, says will sit at home and work

Dr AK Walia had served as Health Minister in the earlier Congress-led Delhi government.

New Delhi: Senior Congress leader and former Delhi minister Dr AK Walia on Monday resigned from the party, just a few days ahead of Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) elections.

The party has reportedly not accepted his resignation yet.

Upset over ticket distribution by the party leaders, Walia said: "Every time new ticket distribution committee is formed, they interview us like class 8 students. What is my use if they are unable to understand me."

When asked if his grievances aren't addressed, the former Delhi health minister told news agency ANI that he "will sit at home and work". 

"I will look for other ways to serve Delhi."

According to sources, Walia was unhappy over party cancelling the ticket given to a woman candidate and replacing her with another candidate for the April 23 MCD elections.

Several other Congress leaders have alleged irregularities in ticket distribution with former Deputy Speaker and three-time MLA Amrish Singh Gautam today quitting the party and joining the BJP.

Walia was MLA from Laxmi Nagar constituency for four consecutive terms.

He has served as a state minister in the Sheila Dikshit government and held Health, Urban Development, Land and Building portfolios.

He was also the chairman of Trans-Yamuna Area Development Board.

There are 272 wards in three municipal corporations in the city, with 104 each in the South and North Delhi Municipal Corporation and 64 in the East Delhi Municipal Corporation, which are going to polls on April 23.