BJP Announces First List of Candidates for Delhi Assembly Elections

BJP Announces First List of Candidates for Delhi Assembly Elections
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BJP Announces First List of Candidates for Delhi Assembly Elections

Highlights

BJP announces 29 candidates for Delhi Assembly elections, including ex-MPs and former ministers, ahead of the February 2025 polls.

With less than a week to go before the Delhi assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has unveiled its first batch of candidates, marking a crucial step in the political race. The list features four sitting MLAs, two former Members of Parliament (MPs), and eight former legislators, setting the stage for a highly competitive contest in the capital.

Among the most notable announcements, former West Delhi MP Parvesh Verma will challenge Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal in the New Delhi constituency, while ex-South Delhi MP Ramesh Bidhuri is set to face Delhi Chief Minister Atishi in Kalkaji. The BJP has also turned to a mix of seasoned political figures, including former Delhi ministers and ex-Congress representatives, to contest key seats.

The list includes former AAP ministers Kailash Gahlot and Raaj Kumar Anand, who served in the outgoing Delhi government, along with Arvinder Singh Lovely and Rajkumar Chauhan, both of whom held significant portfolios during Sheila Dikshit’s tenure as Chief Minister from 2003 to 2013. Gahlot will now contest from Bijwasan, a shift from his previous Najafgarh constituency, while Anand will stand in the reserved Patel Nagar seat. Lovely, who replaces AAP defector Anil Kumar Bajpai in Gandhi Nagar, is set to face a tough contest, having previously represented the area. Chauhan will run from Mangolpuri, another reserved constituency.

In addition, former Congress MLA Tarwinder Singh Marwah, who previously represented Jangpura, will contest against former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. The BJP's strategy also includes a mix of returning faces and new contenders, with several candidates making their political comeback after previous unsuccessful attempts. These include Ashok Goel (Model Town), Raj Kumar Bhatia (Adarsh Nagar), and Rekha Gupta (Shalimar Bagh).

BJP veterans like Vijender Gupta, the Leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, and seasoned politicians Om Prakash Sharma, Ajay Mahawar, and Jitender Mahajan are set to re-contest their respective seats in Rohini, Vishwas Nagar, Ghonda, and Rohtas Nagar. Former BJP MLAs Kulwant Rana, Manoj Shokeen, Anil Sharma, and Manjinder Singh Sirsa will also make a return, contesting from Rithala, Nangloi Jat, RK Puram, and Rajouri Garden.

The BJP has also fielded Narayan Dutt Sharma, a former AAP MLA from Badarpur, who joined the BJP ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Sharma will contest from the same constituency in the upcoming polls. Additionally, former municipal councillor and Congress leader Kumari Rinku will contest from Seemapuri, a reserved seat.

The party has yet to announce its candidates for the Karawal Nagar and Laxmi Nagar constituencies, which were previously won by BJP's Mohan Singh Bisht and Abhay Verma, respectively, in the 2020 assembly elections. Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva expressed confidence in the party's lineup, calling the 29 candidates "strong" and highlighting their potential to drive change in the city.

With AAP having already declared candidates for all 70 assembly seats and Congress announcing 48, the stage is set for a fiercely contested election. The Delhi assembly polls are scheduled for February 2025.

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