LS polls: AAP to spice up triangular contest on Nagpur seat

, Feb 18:

's nomination of activist-turned politician

is likely to hit the bi-polar contest in the Nagpur Lok Sabha constituency, which will now witness a triangular fight.

Damania, a political green horn, pipped local social worker Rupa Kulkarni (also a contender for the AAP nominee from the Nagpur seat) to be pitched against BJP stalwart and ex-party president Nitin Gadkari from this prestigious seat.

The political picture on this seat is likely to be clear once Congress announces its list of candidates in the coming week. Sources say that incumbent Congress MP Vilas Muttemwar in all probability will be given another term.

AAP carefully treaded in naming its nominees from Maharashtra and especially from Nagpur before announcing its first list of 20 canidates for the Lok Sabha polls.

According to sources, AAP dropped the idea of fielding a local candidate against Gadkari and picked up its 44-year-old state convener Damania, as they failed to find a suitable candidate matching her anti-corrupt credentials to take on the BJP heavyweight in his stronghold.

In the fast changing political scenario, after AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal stepped down as the Delhi Chief Minister, a reluctant Damania agreed to the candidature and is now ready to further expose Gadkari and his alleged involvement in various scams.

AAP's chances in their maiden run of securing sizeable votes have considerably brightened with Damania's nomination from the Nagpur seat, despite she being described as an 'outsider' by the BJP and Congress, sources said.

A known face of the party in Maharashtra, some political experts feel that she will definitely make a dent into Gadkari's prospects more than damaging the Congress.

"Even if she doesn't win, she will ensure Gadkari's defeat, which is the objective of the party," they said.

As per AAP sources, most of the politicians on their target belong to the UPA, particularly top ministers besides Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi but Gadkari is the only NDA politician from Maharashtra on their radar.

The activist had accused the former BJP President of being hand in glove with Sharad Pawar to suppress the alleged irregularities related to irrigation projects in the state.

PTI