Delhi Assembly elections: AAP releases first list of 11 candidates; six from BJP and Congress allotted tickets
Delhi Assembly elections: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has announced its first list of candidates for the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections. The list includes 11 names, six of whom are recent entrants to AAP from BJP and Congress.
Prominent figures such as Brahm Singh Tanwar, BB Tyagi, and Anil Jha recently left the BJP to join AAP. Meanwhile, Zubair Chaudhry, Veer Singh Dhingan, and Sumesh Shokeen left the Congress to join the Aam Aadmi Party.
Who is contesting from where
Chhatarpur: Brahma Singh Tanwar
Kirari: Anil Jha
Vishwas Nagar: Deepak Singhla
Rohtas Nagar: Sarita Singh
Laxmi Nagar: BB Tyagi
Badarpur: Ram Singh Neta Ji
Seelampur: Zubair Chaudhry
Seemapuri: Veer Singh Dhingan
Ghonda: Gaurav Sharma
Karawal Nagar: Manoj Tyagi
Matiala: Somesh Shokeen
Current term of Delhi Assembly nearing end
The current term of the Delhi Legislative Assembly is set to conclude on February 23, 2025. The Election Commission of India will ensure that the election process is completed before this date, allowing for a smooth transition of power.
In the last Assembly elections held in February 2020, AAP achieved a landslide victory, securing 62 out of 70 seats. The BJP won the remaining eight seats, while the Congress failed to open its account.
Major political developments in the past year
Arvind Kejriwal’s legal battles
Delhi’s political landscape has seen significant upheaval in the last year, with former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal facing legal challenges. Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21, 2024, in connection with the controversial excise policy case. He later spent 156 days in jail after being taken into custody by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on June 26, 2024. Following a protracted legal battle, Kejriwal secured bail in both cases. The Supreme Court granted him bail in the ED case on July 12, 2024, and in the CBI case on September 13, 2024.
Resignation as Chief Minister
Upon his release, Arvind Kejriwal resigned as Delhi’s Chief Minister on September 17, 2024. His resignation, submitted during an evening meeting with his Cabinet colleagues, marked a significant turning point in Delhi’s governance. Atishi, along with four other ministers, was present during his resignation announcement.
Following his departure, the Delhi Government convened a special two-day Assembly session on September 26 and 27 to address the transition of power. The BJP criticised this development, asserting that the leadership change was a superficial attempt by AAP to repair its public image, which had been tarnished by corruption allegations.
Atishi takes oath as Delhi CM
On September 21, Atishi took the oath as Delhi’s 9th Chief Minister. Atishi became the youngest Chief Minister in Delhi’s history, surpassing Kejriwal, who assumed the role at 45. As the third female Chief Minister of Delhi, Atishi follows in the footsteps of Sushma Swaraj and Sheila Dikshit. During the swearing-in ceremony, she touched Kejriwal’s feet in a gesture of respect.
Founded by Arvind Kejriwal on October 2, 2012, following the Anna Hazare-led anti-corruption movement, AAP has grown significantly over the past decade. On April 10, 2023, the Election Commission granted AAP the status of a national party.
For a political party to achieve national status, it must secure at least 6% of the vote share in either Lok Sabha or Assembly elections across four states. AAP has met this criterion with impressive performances in Delhi, Punjab, Goa, and Gujarat.
Currently, AAP governs both Delhi and Punjab and has an active organisational presence in Haryana and Gujarat. The party has three Members of Parliament (MPs) in the Lok Sabha and 10 in the Rajya Sabha.
- With inputs from agencies
