Zee Media Bureau
New Delhi: Soon after Aam Aadmi Party released its first list of 20 candidates for Lok Sabha elections, rumours began doing the rounds that the party may project Shazia Ilmi as its candidate from Rae Bareli against Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
In Delhi Assembly polls Ilmi had lost the RK Puram seat to Anil Sharma of the BJP by a slender margin of 326 votes.
Although AAP has officially not confirmed any such information on Ilmi, sources close to the party revealed that a known name is being considered to contest against Sonia Gandhi.
"We are yet to finalise our candidates," party spokesperson Dilip Pandey said.
The list, which came two days after AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal quit as Delhi chief minister, carries names of candidates from Delhi (2), Uttar Pradesh (7), Maharashtra (6), Haryana, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab — one each.
TV journalist-turned-politician Ashutosh will contest from Chandni Chowk seat in Delhi held by Union minister Kapil Sibal.
AAP has given ticket to former scribe Mukul Tripathi for Farukhabad seat in Uttar Pradesh, the constituency of another Union Minister Salman Khurshid.
Advocate H S Phoolka will contest from Ludhiana, currently held by I and B minister Manish Tewari, while activist Hardev Singh has been given ticket in Mulayam Singh Yadav`s stronghold Mainpuri.
AAP has fielded anti-corruption activist Anjali Damania from Nagpur against former BJP National president Nitin Gadkari.
(With PTI inputs)
