Lok Sabha Elections: AAP Announces Candidates For Delhi, Haryana. Somnath Bharti, Sushil Gupta Among Those Contesting

Malviya Nagar MLA Somnath Bharti has been fielded from New Delhi constituency, Kondli MLA Kuldeep Kumar from East Delhi, Sahiram Pehelwan from South Delhi and ex-MP Mahabal Mishra from the West Delhi.

AAP has announced its candidates for Delhi and Haryana.

Source : PTI

Ahead of the Lok Sabha Elections, the Aam Aadmi Party on Tuesday announced the candidates for Delhi and Haryana the crucial polls likely to be held in April-May. The party announced the five names after a meeting of its Political Affairs Committee (PAC) chaired by Delhi Chief Minister and party's national convener Arvind Kejriwal.

Party leader Kuldeep Kumar will contest from East Delhi, while Malviya Nagar MLA Somnath Bharti will fight from New Delhi, AAP leader and Delhi Minister Gopal Rai announced on Tuesday.

Gopal Rai said Kuldeep Kumar comes from a reserved category and said the party made a big decision to field a reserved category candidate from a general seat.

Rai further said Tughlaqabad MLA Sahi Ram Pehelwan will contest from South Delhi and Mahabal Mishra will fight from West Delhi.

#WATCH | AAP leader and Delhi Minister Gopal Rai announces the names of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

In Delhi - Kuldeep Kumar to contest from East Delhi, Somnath Bharti to contest from New Delhi, Sahiram Pahalwan to contest from South Delhi and Mahabal Mishra… pic.twitter.com/HEraDfqg5W

— ANI (@ANI) February 27, 2024

In Haryana, Sushil Gupta will contest from Kurukshetra.

After announcing the candidates, Gopal Rai said, "The biggest criteria in making the decision about candidates is that it is clear that the BJP MPs are neither seen among the public nor do any work. So, the party decided to field leaders who are connected to the ground, are among the people round the clock and work for them."

पूर्वी दिल्ली जनरल केटेगरी की सीट है। यहाँ से हमने SC समाज के कुलदीप कुमार को टिकट दिया है। कोई पार्टी जनरल सीट से SC समाज को टिकट नहीं देती। बाबा साहिब के सपने को केवल “आप” पूरा कर रही है। कुलदीप कुमार एक सफ़ाई कर्मचारी के बेटे हैं, बेहद ग़रीब परिवार से आते हैं। अभी वे कोंडली… pic.twitter.com/vTBSuP01fR

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) February 27, 2024

During the press conference, AAP leader Atishi said the main criterion the party followed in the selection of candidates was their presence among people to serve them.  

"If you ask about our four candidates, people from their areas will say they are available 24x7 for public service and that is why they have been selected as candidates," she said.  

She also stressed that the party does not believe in caste-based politics. "In the country, seats are categorised as Brahmin-dominated, Bania-dominated and Jat-dominated. But the AAP has broken the equations of caste. We have launched fresh, young persons devoted to public service, in politics," she added.

The AAP has already announced three candidates for Assam and two for Gujarat -- in the Bharuch and the Bhavnagar constituencies.

The party has already finalised seat-share agreements with its INDIA bloc ally Congress for Delhi, Gujarat, Goa and Haryana. The two parties, however, will contest separately in Punjab, considering the special circumstances in the state.

In Delhi, the AAP will contest from four of seven seats -- New Delhi, West Delhi, East Delhi and South Delhi. All seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi are currently held by the BJP.