Delhi polls: AAP announces final list of candidates, Kejriwal to contest from New Delhi seat

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday (Dec 15) announced its final list of 38 candidates for the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections. Former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal will contest from the New Delhi seat, aiming for his fourth term in a row. Chief Minister Atishi has been fielded from Kalkaji, while former health minister Satyendar Jain will contest from Shakur Basti.

Environment minister Gopal Rai will defend his seat in Babarpur, while health minister Saurabh Bhardwaj is set to represent Greater Kailash. Among other candidates, Amanatullah Khan has been named for Okhla, Durgesh Pathak for Rajinder Nagar, Sanjeev Jha for Burari, and Ajesh Yadav for Badli.

This announcement comes as AAP looks to maintain its stronghold in Delhi, where it won 62 of the 70 seats in the 2020 assembly elections.

While releasing the list, Kejriwal criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for its lack of a chief ministerial candidate. “BJP has no CM face, no team, no planning, and no vision for Delhi. Their only mission is ‘Remove Kejriwal’,” he said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

Check out the full list here:

The BJP is expected to nominate Parvesh Verma, son of former Delhi Chief Minister Sahib Singh Verma, for the New Delhi seat. Meanwhile, Congress has chosen Sandeep Dikshit, son of Sheila Dikshit, Delhi’s longest-serving chief minister, as its candidate for the same constituency.

Kejriwal confirmed that AAP will contest the elections independently, dismissing any alliance with Congress despite both being part of the INDIA bloc. “Aam Aadmi Party will fight this election on its strength in Delhi,” he stated.

Kejriwal recently announced two major schemes to support women. The Delhi cabinet approved a plan to give ₹1,000 per month to every woman in the city but admitted this amount may not be enough due to rising prices.

“Some women said ₹1,000 is not enough because of inflation. So, from tomorrow, registration will start for ₹2,100 per month. This increased amount will help women meet their financial needs better,” Kejriwal said.

Watch: India General Elections 2024: How Delhi influences India’s politics?

AAP aims to retain stronghold

AAP, which won 62 of the 70 seats in the 2020 Delhi Assembly elections, is determined to maintain its dominance. With key leaders like Kejriwal, Atishi, and Satyendar Jain at the forefront, the party is prepared to tackle challenges from the BJP and Congress in the upcoming elections.

As the campaign gains momentum, AAP is highlighting its welfare-focused agenda while striving to defend its position in Delhi.

(With inputs from agencies)