Delhi Elections: AAP announces list of 70 candidates; Kejriwal to fight from New Delhi

New Delhi, Jan 14: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday released its list of candidates for all 70 seats, fielding chief minister Arvind Kejriwal from New Delhi. It is the third time that Kejriwal would be fighting from the New Delhi seat. He fought for it in 2013 and 2015 polls as well.

A total of 46 sitting MLAs have been given tickets, 15 sitting MLAs have been replaced, 9 seats that were vacant have been given to new candidates. Last time 6 women were given tickets by AAP, this time 8 women have been given tickets.

AAP leaders Atishi, Raghav Chadha and Dilip Pandey, who unsuccessfully contested the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, will again try their luck in the Delhi Assembly elections slated to be held on February 8.

Chadha will be contesting from the Rajinder Nagar assembly seat, while Atishi and Pandey will be fighting from the Kalkaji assembly seat and Timarpur assembly seat respectively.

Soon after the announcement, Kejriwal tweeted, "Best wishes to all. Don't be complacent. Work v hard. People have a lot of faith in AAP and u. God bless."

Kejriwal's deputy Manish Sisodia too would be seeking reelection from his existing seat of Patparganj assembly segment.

The Delhi government's five other ministers too would be fighting for their existing seats. Satyendra Jain who holds four portfolios, including Home and Health, will be re-contesting from Shakur Basti while Labour Minister Gopal Rai will be fighting for Babarpur seat again.

Minister of Food and Civil Supplies Imran Hussain will contest from Ballimaran and Social Welfare Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam from Seemapuri. Kailash Gahlot, who holds three portfolios, will contest from Najafgarh.

Elections to the 70-member Delhi Assembly seems to be a triangular contest with the AAP hoping to retain power on the plank of development and the BJP and the Congress determined to oust the Kejriwal government.