Bolt from the blue for Dikshit, stares at uncertain political future

Though she bit the dust, analysts said credit cannot be taken away from Dikshit for ushering in reforms in power sector, e-governance in various departments, series of social security schemes besides significantly enhancing the city's infrastructure during her uninterrupted rule.

On the infrastructure issue, she, however, faced severe criticism ahead of the Commonwealth Games in 2010 due to delays in implementing projects. The taint of corruption in the CWG projects had reached the doors of her government as Prime Minister-appointed Shunglu Committee, CAG and CVC pointed various alleged irregularities though she strongly refuted them. Dikshit was often accused of not grooming second rung leaders in Delhi Congress.

Uncontrollable inflation, which left vegetables out of common man's reach just two months ahead of polls, also seemed to have sealed Congress' fate in its traditional bastions.

Looking at AAP, born out of the civil society movement headed by Anna Hazare, as lightweight and often terming it as a "non-party", Dikshit was served a knock out punch by greenhorn which resorted to door-to-door campaigning highlighting alleged corruption by the Congress besides focussing on its "misrule".

Born in a non-political family in Kapurthala district on March 31, 1938, Dikshit, eldest of three daughters, was exposed to politics after she married Vinod Dikshit, an IAS officer and son of former union minister and governor Uma Shankar Dikshit.

Dikshit received her primary education at Delhi's Convent of Jesus and Mary school and graduated from Miranda House, Delhi University and obtained a post-graduation degree in History.

First elected to the Lok Sabha in 1984 from Kannauj Parliamentary Constituency of Uttar Pradesh, she served as a Minister under Rajiv Gandhi first as the Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and later as a Minister of State in the Prime Minister's office.