Ajay Maken, Chako resign from Congress posts (Lead)

New Delhi, April 26 : Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken and P.C. Chacko, in charge of Congress affairs in Delhi, on Wednesday resigned from their posts, owning moral responsibility for the party's defeat in the city's civic polls.

"I have sent my resignation to Congress President (Sonia Gandhi) and Rahul Gandhi (Vice President). I have sent the resignation letter in the morning," Chako told IANS.

Asked if it has been accepted, he said: "I don't know. Till now, I don't know what action has been taken on it."

"We had a big target for this election. In fact, we have a sizeable increase in our vote base. It was nine per cent in 2015, we have 21 per cent now. It's a good achievement but I am not happy in the sense we wanted to decimate AAP to that position. That we could not achieve," said Chako.

"That is the reason why I have sent my resignation and simultaneously Ajay Maken has also sent his resignation. Both are now before the Congress President and the Vice President. They will take the decision and let us know," he added.

"I will submit my resignation to the Congress President and Vice President shortly," Maken earlier told reporters.

The Congress was a distant third in the Delhi civic polls, after the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Aam Aadmi Party.

Stating that he was expecting a better results by the party, Maken said that he was taking the responsibility of the party's defeat.

He also said that he would not hold any party post for the next one year and will remain just an ordinary Congress member.

"I will remain just a normal member for the next one year. My commitment to the party is ideological and will continue to remain so," said Maken.

Commenting on the Congress performance in a few of the wards -- where the party was leading -- Maken said: "During Delhi assembly elections and Lok Sabha polls, we were zero. This time we fought on the basis of issues; we are satisfied that we have made a reasonable comeback."

"However, our expectations were a little high," added Maken.