Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president Rajnath Singh on Tuesday declared the names of seven more candidates for the Delhi Assembly elections. The party held back the decision on the Nangloi Jat seat.
A series of protests and spate of resignations had delayed the second list of the BJP. According to sources, Parvesh Verma, who has been fielded from Mehrauli, might be shifted to Mundka, which he had been demanding initially. In his place, Sarita Chaudhary, a councillor, or Sher Singh Dagar may be fielded. Verma’s candidature from Mehrauli had given rise to a number of protests. The candidate from Mundka, Manoj Shokeen, might be allocated Nangloi Jat, candidate for which is yet to be declared.
On the list of the seven candidates are three sitting municipal councilors, including former mayor Rajni Abbi. While Rajni Abbi will contest from Timarpur, standing committee chairman Ram Kishan Singhal will contest from Adarsh Nagar and Dhir Singh Bidhuri, who had recently joined BJP from the Nationalist Congress Party along with Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, will contest from Okhla.
Earlier, the party had fielded five sitting councillors in the list of 58 candidates announced by it on November 6. During the last assembly elections, the party had put a ban on councillors contesting elections.
{{/usCountry}}Earlier, the party had fielded five sitting councillors in the list of 58 candidates announced by it on November 6. During the last assembly elections, the party had put a ban on councillors contesting elections.
{{/usCountry}}“The party had earlier short-listed Mohammed Irfan but there was tremendous pressure to give tickets to those who had joined the party recently. The Okhla constituency has a huge Hindu vote bank and hence the party decided to go with Dhir Singh,” said a party source. The party has so far given a ticket to only one Muslim: Mohammed Nizamuddin who will contest from Matia Mahal.
The party has tried to keep state party president Vijay Goel in good humour by giving a ticket to his close aide Jagdish Pradhan, who will contest from Mustafabad.
From the Seemapuri seat, where AAP has a strong base, the party has fielded Rampal Singh, a local worker. From Bawana, the party has fielded Guggan Singh, a former councillor. From Chhattarpur, it has fielded Brahm Singh Tanwar, who had won 1993 and 1998 polls from the Mehrauli constituency but lost in 2003 and 2008 from Mehrauli and Chhattarpur seats, respectively.