With dates for the general elections out, political parties in Delhi have stepped up their campaign programmes. While the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday launched its campaign for full statehood for Delhi, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) held workshops to mobilise its volunteers across the seven parliamentary constituencies in the national Capital.
The model code of conduct will now be in place across Delhi until the polling day on May 12. Soon after the election commission’s poll schedule announcement on Sunday, chief minister and AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal pitched for full statehood for Delhi, the party’s key poll plank.
“This time Delhiiites will vote to make Delhi a full state and not to elect a Prime Minister. This time Delhiites will ensure that the broom (AAP’s symbol) will win all seven seats in Delhi,” Kejriwal said in a tweet in Hindi.
In another tweet, the Delhi CM said it was time to seek “answers on demonetisation, jobs, destruction of traders and of brotherhood among different communities”.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was the first to announce its candidates. The party has fielded Atishi (East Delhi), Dilip Pandey (North East Delhi), Raghav Chadha (South Delhi), Gugan Singh (North West Delhi) and Pankaj Gupta(Chandni Chowk) for the Lok Sabha elections. The candidate for West Delhi seats is likely to be declared soon.
Party functionaries said the probable candidates (about five names are being considered) for West Delhi could change if an “alliance with the Congress works out in the coming days”.
{{/usCountry}}Party functionaries said the probable candidates (about five names are being considered) for West Delhi could change if an “alliance with the Congress works out in the coming days”.
{{/usCountry}}The Congress and the BJP are yet to announce their candidates. Senior leaders in the BJP said the party will field a mix of sitting MPs and new faces. Delhi BJP leaders said Union minister and senior BJP leader Vijay Goel and leader of opposition in the Assembly Vijender Gupta are being considered for the Chandni Chowk seat, currently held by Union minister Harsh Vardhan.
The BJP could also pitch former cricketer Gautam Gambhir, who has recently been conferred the Padma Shri, from the New Delhi seat, while South Delhi’s Ramesh Bidhuri and West Delhi’s Parvesh Verma are likely to retain their seats, party functionaries said. “No decision has been taken on North West Delhi’s Udit Raj till now. Delhi BJP chief and North East Delhi MP Manoj Tiwari could get a ticket again because of his appeal among Purvanchalis. But, the list of candidates could change if the AAP-Congress alliance works out,” a BJP leader said.
Delhi Congress chief Sheila Dikshit said the party is prepared for the Lok Sabha elections and the party will come out in full force now. “We are prepared. We have been conducting meetings with voters and our party members,” she said.
Party’s spokesperson Jitender Kochar said the party may announce candidates after March 15.