Assembly polls: Sheila Dikshit to fight from New Delhi, Congress declares 56 candidates

The Congress Monday declared the names of candidates for 56 constituencies, retaining all its sitting legislators for the Dec 4 Delhi assembly polls, the party said in a statement.

New Delhi: The Congress Monday declared the names of candidates for 56 constituencies, retaining all its sitting legislators for the December 4 Delhi Assembly polls, the party said in a statement. The Delhi Assembly has 70 seats. Of the remaining 14 seats where the incumbent party did not clear its candidates, 12 are with the BJP and one is held by the Indian National Lok Dal. With three-time Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit being given the ticket from her bastion, New Delhi, the constituency would see a triangular contest: BJP leader Vijender Gupta is also contesting from New Delhi, and AAP`s chief ministerial candidate Arvind Kejriwal has also decided to fight from this constituency. Interestingly, Okhla legislator Mohammad Asif, over whose candidature reservations were earlier expressed for his alleged criminal record, has also been given a ticket.

It was Dikshit who, according to sources, had supported his candidature while other party leaders were against him. Earlier, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi had made it clear that no candidate with a criminal record would get a party ticket. The BJP has declared 58 candidates, while its old ally Shirmonai Akali Dal (Badal) will contest from four seats. Aam Aadami Party has announced over 65 candidates.