The Aam Aadmi Party has made a robust leap ahead of the polls for the New Delhi Assembly elections with its first list of 11 candidates. The announcement, made on November 21, 2024, puts the party in a strategic position as it prepares for elections slated for February 2025.
At least two prominent candidates have recently switched parties. Brahma Singh Tanwar and Anil Jha, both former BJP MLAs, will contest elections from Chhatarpur and Kiradi, respectively. BB Tyagi, a former BJP leader and a two-time Municipal Corporation councillor, will also stand from Laxmi Nagar. It is quite clear that these selections indicate AAP's wish to ride on the backs of experienced politicians with established support bases.
Some candidates have been affiliated with the party for long and are very much local heroes. Another contestant trying for the second time against BJP's Om Prakash Sharma in Vishwas Nagar is Deepak Singhla. Sarita Singh, head of AAP's student wing, will contest from Rohtas Nagar. Important candidacies include Ram Singh Netaji, a two-time MLA from Badarpur, and Zubair Chaudhary, son of five-time MLA Mateen Ahmed.
Three-time MLA Veer Singh Dhingan from Congress will run from Seemapuri, Gaurav Sharma will contest from Ghonda, and Manoj Tyagi will try for victory from Karawal Nagar. Somesh Shaukeen completes the list as AAP’s nominee from Matiala.
It is interesting to note that the party does not give tickets to sitting MLAs: Rituraj Jha from Kirari, Abdul Rahman from Seelampur, and Gulab Singh Yadav from Matiala. The move raises many questions about their future within the party as the second list draws nearer.
As AAP now prepares for what Arvind Kejriwal has described as a "dharmayudh," the battle for Delhi politics is certainly set to become highly intense.
