As Opposition eyes the New Delhi seat, Kejriwal says it’s ‘sons of CMs vs common man’

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday announced that he will fight the Assembly election due in February next year from New Delhi seat.

Speaking at an event, the AAP chief termed the battle for the constituency as a contest between the “sons of Chief Ministers and the common man”.

This is the same seat from where Mr. Kejriwal made his debut by defeating then Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit of the Congress, who served as New Delhi MLA from 1998 to 2013.

A day earlier, the Congress announced its decision to field Dikshit’s son and former MP Sandeep Dikshit from the seat.

Three-way fight likely

The battle for the constituency could become three-cornered if the BJP decides to field former MP Parvesh Sahib Singh, the son of former Chief Minister Sahib Singh Verma, from the seat. While the BJP is yet to announce candidates for the election, the former BJP MP has already made his intention of fighting from the seat known by posting videos and images of his public interactions in the constituency on X and Instagram. When reached for comment, he said, “The party has told me to contest from New Delhi, and I have happily accepted.”

‘Atishi from Kalkaji’

Dismissing rumours about him shifting to a “safer” seat, Mr. Kejriwal said, “There will be no change. I will contest from New Delhi seat and Chief Minister Atishi from Kalkaji.”

AAP has been in power in the national capital since 2015. It won 67 of the 70 seats in the 2015 Assembly poll and 62 in the 2020 election.

Published - December 14, 2024 02:35 am IST