Former Delhi minister Dr AK Walia dies at 72 due to Covid-19

New Delhi, Apr 22: Senior Congress leader and former Delhi minister Dr AK Walia passed away on Thursday due to COVID19, at Apollo Hospital in Delhi.

A prominent name in the party's Delhi unit, Walia is one of the few to have served four terms as member of Legislative Assembly (MLA). After making a political debut in 1993, he represented the Geeta Colony seat for the first three terms and Laxmi Nagar for one term (as Geeta Colony ceased to be an Assembly seat after delimitation).

Born and raised in New Delhi, He received a MBBS degree from MGM Medical College Indore in 1972 and is a physician by profession. He owns a nursing home in East Delhi's Laxmi Nagar area.

Walia served as a state minister in Sheila Dixit's government and held various key portfolios, such as health, urban development, and land & building. He was also the chairman of the Trans Yamuna Area Development Board.

In April 2017, ahead of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) elections, Walia quit the party after being denied a ticket. He alleged that tickets were being sold for money. It was a big jolt to the party as he had a considerable popularity in East Delhi. After the elections, however, Walia returned to the Congress.

He has served as a State Minister in Sheila Dikshit's government and held Health, Urban Development, Land & Building portfolios. He was also the Chairman of Trans Yamuna Area Development Board.