New Delhi: Congress on Thursday night announced the names of sitting MPs Mahabal Mishra and Ramesh Kumar as its candidates from West Delhi and South Delhi Lok Sabha seats respectively, thereby renominating all the sitting lawmakers from the national capital.
Congress had on Tuesday renominated five sitting MPs -- Kapil Sibal, Sandeep Dikshit, J P Agarwal, Krishna Tirath and Ajay Maken -- for the Lok Sabha polls in the national capital while deferring its decision on the remaining two seats.
With today`s announcement, battle lines have been drawn in all seven seats of Delhi where polling will be held on April 10.
BJP has fielded former Chief Minister Sahib Singh Verma`s son Pravesh from West Delhi while Gujjar leader Ramesh Bidhuri has been named the party candidate from South Delhi seat. AAP has fielded Jarnail Singh from West Delhi and Devindra Sehrawat from South Delhi.
Union minister Sibal will seek election for the third term from Chandni Chowk constituency which is likely to witness an interesting fight with BJP fielding its Delhi unit chief Harsh Vardhan and AAP nominating journalist-turned-politician Ashutosh.
In the 2004 Lok Sabha polls, Sibal had won defeating BJP`s Smriti Irani. In 2009, he beat BJP`s Vijender Gupta.
Maken, who won unopposed the US-style primaries Congress had introduced to decide its candidates in select constituencies, will fight from the prestigious New Delhi seat which is likely to witness a triangular contest.
BJP has fielded party spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi while AAP has given ticket to another journalist-turned-politician Ashish Khetan, founder of investigative website Gulail.Com.
In East Delhi constituency, Dikshit, son of former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, will try to retain the seat for the second term. He will face challenge from AAP`s Rajmohan Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, and BJP`s Mahesh Girri who has been associated with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar`s Art of Living.
Aam Aadmi Party had won five out of 10 assembly seats which come under the East Delhi Lok Sabha seat. Congress and BJP had bagged two seats each.
Congress has fielded Tirath from Northwest constituency which she had won in 2004 and 2009 Lok Sabha polls.
In the 2004 elections, she had defeated BJP`s Anita Arya while in 2009 elections, she trounced BJP`s Meera Kanwaria. BJP has fielded Dalit leader Udit Raj from the constituency.
AAP had fielded Mahendra Singh for the seat who later withdrew his candidature and Mangolpuri MLA Rakhi Birla will be in the fray in his place.
Agarwal, four-time MP, has been renominated from North East Delhi constituency.
He had won the primaries contest by defeating former MLA and Youth Congress president Rajesh Lilothia.
BJP has fielded popular Bhojpuri singer-actor Manoj Tiwari from the seat while AAP has given ticket to Anand Kumar.
