On AAP's Delhi candidates list, BJP makes big prediction for Arvind Kejriwal, Atishi

The Aam Aadmi Party has changed nearly 50 per cent of its sitting MLAs in the list of 31 candidates announced so far.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday called the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) a “sinking ship”, after Delhi's ruling party in its second Delhi assembly elections candidates list announced fresh faces. 

AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal with Delhi chief minister Atishi at a press conference in New Delhi(Vipin Kumar/HT Photo)

Former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia has now been fielded from Jangpura, instead of Patparganj which he won in 2013, 2015 and 2020. The party has fielded educator Avadh Ojha from the constituency.

"The shift by Sisodia shows that the AAP is a sinking ship and the party is scared. Kejriwal and Atishi whose names are yet to be announced by the AAP, will also run away from their New Delhi and Kalkaji seats like Sisodia did," Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva was quoted by PTI as saying.

The BJP leader also speculated that AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal might contest the polls from Matiamahal seat, considered the safest for the AAP.

"You may soon see him exchanging pleasantries and greetings there," he said.

Sachdeva alleged that Sisodia was forced to leave Patparganj because he did nothing there in his last two terms as MLA.

‘AAP will have to face consequences of corruption’: BJP

"Changing candidates on the seats will not change anything and the AAP will have to face the consequences of its corruption and loot in Delhi. The party which was born out of corruption issue will be finished over the same issue," the Delhi BJP chief claimed.

Sachdeva also attacked former Delhi chief minister Kejriwal saying he gave tickets to sons of sitting MLAs from Chandni Chowk and Krishna Nagar, despite claiming to be against "Parivarvad."

The elections for the 70-member Delhi Assembly are due in February next year.

The BJP, which suffered a rout by the AAP in 2015 and 2020 polls, is confident of upstaging the Kejriwal-led outfit and form a government in Delhi after more than 25 years.