Delhi Elections: AAP Replaces Its Candidate From Matia Mahal, Fields Sitting MLA Shoaib Iqbal's Son From The Seat

Aaley Mohammad Iqbal is the son of the sitting MLA Shoaib Iqbal, who was earlier nominated from the seat in Old Delhi. He will file his nomination from the seat tomorrow.

AAP's Aaley Mohammad Iqbal with party councillors celebrate his victory in the Deputy Mayoral election in New Delhi.

Source : PTI

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday replaced the candidate from Matia Mahal seat for the Delhi Assembly Elections, naming Aaley Mohammad Iqbal from the seat.

Aaley Mohammad Iqbal is the son of the sitting MLA Shoaib Iqbal, who was earlier nominated from the seat in Old Delhi.

The Kejriwal's party had initially nominated Shoaib Iqbal as the candidate from the seat. However, after a discussion with the party members and Iqbal's family, Ale Iqbal was now been declared the candidate from the seat. Ale Iqbal will file his nomination from the seat tomorrow.

The Matia Mahal seat has been a stronghold of the Iqbal family since the 1990s. Shoaib Iqbal has been an MLA from the seat for six times, since 1993.

Aaley Mohammad Iqbal will fight against former Delhi minister and Congress leader Asim Ahmed Khan on the Matia Mahal seat. Asim Khan recently quit AAP and joined Congress in December. 

Khan had shot into the limelight during the 2015 Assembly election when he emerged as a "giant-killer" after defeating the then Congress candidate Shoaib Iqbal, who held the Matia Mahal seat for five consecutive terms. 

Earlier on Wednesday, AAP changed its candidates for Hari Nagar and Narela constituencies. The party replaced the outgoing Hari Nagar MLA Rajkumari Dhillon, who was fielded again by the party from the seat, with Surinder Setia.

Dinesh Bharadwaj, fielded from Narela, was replaced by Sharad Chauhan. The recent changes came almost a month after the AAP announced its candidates for all 70 assembly seats in Delhi.

The elections for the 70-member Delhi Assembly are going to take place on February 5. Results will be declared after the counting of votes on February 8.