New Delhi: Congress Delhi chief Ajay Maken resigned from his post on December 4, months ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

According to reports, the party president Rahul Gandhi accepted his resignation which was given citing health reasons.

Maken took to Twitter to announce his resignation. He expressed his gratitude to Rahul Gandhi, Delhi Congress workers and the media.

Last year September, a rumour spread that Maken stepped down from his post. However, Congress leader PC Chacko clarified that Maken didn’t resign but went for a medical check-up after informing about his health condition to Gandhi.

So, who is Ajay Maken and why this sudden resignation?

1. Maken hails from a family of freedom fighters and politicians. His great-grandfather Jagat Ram and grandfather OP Maken were freedom fighters, while his uncle Lalit Maken was a politician, a popular Trade Union leader and also an MP.

2. Maken was a member of parliament of India from the constituency of New Delhi in the 15th Lok Sabha.

3. Earlier, he also held the position of union cabinet minister for housing and urban poverty alleviation, union minister of state for youth affairs and sports (independent charge), union minister of state for home affairs, union minister of state for urban development and cabinet minister for power, transport and tourism, government of Delhi.

4. For the Assembly elections of Delhi 2015, Maken was appointed as the chief of Congress Campaign Committee.

5. Now about the resignation, it is believed that though Maken is citing health reasons, it is possible that he has given a new central role or even contesting the Lok Sabha election.

6. Earlier, Maken was not in favour of an understanding between the Congress and Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). He strongly opposed such a coalition for the national elections, which the Congress, otherwise, was in favour to tackle the rising popularity of the BJP.