Congress may announce its candidate for New Delhi seat today,Delhi Election, Delhi Election 2015, Delhi Assembly Election 2015, Delhi Election News
- Details
- Category: Delhi political News
- Last Updated: Thursday, 22 January 2015 21:30
Delhi Assembly Polls: Congress may announce its candidate for New Delhi seat today
NEW DELHI: On a day when BJP launched former IPS officer and activist Kiran Bedi on the Delhi poll scene, Congress released its third list of 15 candidates but continued the suspense over its choice for the prestigious New Delhi seat that has sent chief ministers to the House four times in the past 16 years. A decision on New Delhi and five other seats is now expected on Friday.
With AICC general secretary Ajay Maken-Congress' face for the campaign-fighting from Sadar Bazaar, which is seen as a safer bet, former Delhi minister Kiran Walia is likely to challenge AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal in New Delhi.
New Delhi will be the most-watched poll battlefield this time. It was former CM Sheila Dikshit's turf from 1998 to 2013, when Arvind Kejriwal defeated her. At discussions in Congress' election committee, many have favoured Kiran Walia for her clean image and her Punjabi middle-class credentials that could work with the area's white-collar population. Dikshit's declaration of retirement from electoral politics has left the field open for players in Congress. Besides New Delhi, Sangam Vihar, Tilak Nagar, Moti Nagar, Karawal Nagar and Babarpur are the other seats for which Congress has not declared candidates.
Click here for Third list of Candidates for Delhi Vidhan Sabha Election 2015
Click here for Second list of Candidates for Delhi Vidhan Sabha Election 2015
Click here for First list of Candidates for Delhi Vidhan Sabha Election 2015
Click here for BJP, AAP candidates List For Delhi Vidhan sabha Election 2015
The highlight of the third list announced on Thursday was the candidature of President Pranab Mukherjee's daughter, Sharmistha Mukherjee, from Greater Kailash. An acclaimed Kathak dancer, she is one of the four women named by Congress so far. The third list names woman councillor Rinku for the challenging Gokalpur seat. The two other women candidates declared earlier include municipal councillor Rita Shokeen, wife of former Independent MLA Rambir Shokeen, from Mundka and Dhanwantri Chandela, wife of Dayanand Chandela, from Rajouri Garden.
Congress' third list has a mix of former MLAs and new faces, sitting councillors and former Youth Congress leaders who are fighting an election for the first time. From former MLAs, the third list has Anil Kumar (Patparganj); Veer Singh Dhingan (Seemapuri); Rajesh Lilothia (Patel Nagar), Vipin Sharma (Rohtas Nagar) and Malaram Gangwal (Madipur).
The party has also replaced former heavyweights to make way for new faces seen to have the potential to resurrect it. For instance, former Delhi minister Mangat Ram Singhal stands replaced with three-time councillor and leader of the Opposition in North Delhi Municipal Corporation, Mukesh Goel. Similarly, in Rajinder Nagar, Youth Congress leader Brahm Yadav has been fielded. Earlier, this seat was represented by former Delhi minister Ramakant Goswami. In Narela, too, the party decided to go with a former Youth Congress leader, Praveen Kumar Bugra, instead of former MLA Jaswant Rana.
Others on the list include Bansi Lal (Krishna Nagar); Jagdish Yadav (Rithala); Chamanlal Sharma (Shakur Basti); CP Mittal (Hari Nagar) and Madan Mohan (Palam).
src:economicstimes