Arvind Kejriwal with Sumesh Shokeen.
Soon after the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) released its first list of 11 Assembly poll candidates, including six leaders who had recently switched over from other parties, the BJP and the Congress on Thursday alleged that AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal has lost confidence in his party cadre.
“AAP’s list sends a clear message that Kejriwal is in despair,” said Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva. “People had expected big names, including Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, Satyendra Jain, Gopal Rai, and others, on the list. However, it is now evident that AAP is worried about anti-incumbency,” he added.
Echoing the BJP’s charge, Delhi Congress chief Devendra Yadav said, “The changes made by AAP are a clear indication that most of its MLAs are corrupt and did not do any work during their tenure.”
A source in the ruling party said the constituencies for which it had announced candidates were those where the party was “not in a very strong position”. Of the 11 seats, AAP had lost eight to the BJP in the 2020 Assembly election. On the remaining seats, it decided to replace its legislators.
The source added that the party also factored in anti-incumbency while selecting the candidates. “A similar approach will be taken in the following lists,” the source also said.
The list includes Brahm Singh Tanwar from Chhattarpur, Anil Jha from Kirari, and B.B. Tyagi from Laxmi Nagar. All of them recently quit the BJP to join AAP. Former Congress leaders Choudhary Zubair Ahmed, Veer Singh Dhingan, and Sumesh Shokeen were given tickets from the Seelampur, Seemapuri, and Matiala constituencies.
Sitting AAP MLAs who were denied tickets include Rituraj Jha from Kirari, Gulab Singh Yadav from Matiala, and Abdul Rahman from Seelampur.
Mr. Kejriwal has in several interactions with party workers hinted that AAP is likely to replace many of its sitting MLAs in the upcoming poll, which is due in February next year.
Published – November 22, 2024 01:54 am IST