Delhi News LIVE Updates: BJP releases first list of candidates for Assembly elections; former MP Ramesh Bidhuri up against CM Atishi

BJP Candidate List for Delhi Assembly Election 2025: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday released its first list of candidates for the Delhi Assembly elections due in February.

The list of 29 candidates includes former West Delhi MP Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma, who will contest against AAP chief and former CM Arvind Kejriwal from the New Delhi constituency. Former south Delhi MP Ramesh Bidhuri is set to go up against CM Atishi from Kalkaji, while former AAP Minister Kailash Gahlot has been fielded from Bijwasan instead of his turf Najafgarh.

Here’s the full first list of BJP’s candidates

A group of women from Punjab on Saturday held a protest outside the residence of AAP Convenor Arvind Kejriwal, alleging that his party had “failed” to honour its promise of providing a monthly financial aid of Rs 1,000 to women in the state.

“Why hasn’t Kejriwal kept the promises made to us three years ago? When will he fulfil them?” shouted the protesting women.

One protester said, “We filled out a form for Rs 1,000 three years ago. It’s been more than three years, but we still haven’t received any money.” Read More

Tushar Bisht was a seemingly normal 23-year-old with a BBA degree who worked as a recruiter for a Noida-based private company. His father was a driver, mother a homemaker, and sister an employee of a Gurugram-based MNC. Last month, however, Bisht was arrested by the Delhi Police for allegedly extorting women by threatening to expose their private pictures.

According to the police, using a fake identity, Bisht had cheated more than 700 women on multiple dating sites.

With the help of a virtual international number, the police said, Bisht created fake profiles on a number of dating and social media apps like Bumble and Snapchat. He used a “chiselled Brazilian model’s photos and videos” to pose as an American freelance model who often visits Delhi for work. Read More

The Delhi Police have arrested a 22-year-old man wanted in a murder case who had been absconding for two years, an official said on Sunday. Hemant Kumar Jha, a resident of Siraspur in Delhi, was declared a proclaimed offender in a culpable homicide attempt case.

He killed one Keshav in 2023 and a riot-cum-murder case was registered against him at the Swaroop Nagar Police Station. There is another culpable homicide case registered against him in Samaypur Badli, police said. The accused had frequently changed disguises and locations to evade arrest, police said.

A tip-off about Jha's whereabouts was received, and a team from the crime branch arrested him near Haiderpur Metro Station on Friday. He later confessed during interrogation, police said.

(PTI)

Former Wwest Delhi MP Parvesh Verma will contest against AAP Convenor Arvind Kejriwal from New Delhi, as per the first list of candidates released by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday.

The BJP has dropped Gandhi Nagar MLA Anil Bajpayee, and given the ticket to former Delhi congress chief Arvinder Singh Lovely.

Councillor Ravinder Singh Negi has been fielded from Patparganj against AAP’s Avadh Ojha. Meanwhile, former AAP Minister Kailash Gahlot has been fielded from Bijwasan, instead of his turf Najafgarh.

Tarvinder Marwah will contest against Manish Sisodia from Jangpura, whereas Congress import and former minister Raj Kumar Chauhan has been fielded from Mangolpuri.

Former AAP minister Raaj Kumar Anand was fielded from Patel Nagar, and former BJP RS MP Dushyant Gautam was fielded from Karol Bagh.

After much deliberations, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Saturday finally released its first list of 29 candidates for the Delhi Assembly elections, scheduled to be held in February 2025.

While former west Delhi MP Parvesh Verma is set to contest against AAP Convenor Arvind Kejriwal from New Delhi, former South Delhi MP Ramesh Bidhuri will contest against CM Atishi from Kalkaji.

The elections for all 70 constituencies is scheduled to be held in or before February 2025.

The last Assembly elections in Delhi took place in 2020. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) secured a resounding victory, winning 62 out of 70 seats. The BJP won 8 seats, while the Congress drew a blank.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal Saturday announced that high water bills, costing in thousands and lakhs, would be waived off once his party returns to power in the Delhi Assembly elections this year.

He advised residents against paying those erroneous bills.

“I declare that those whose water bills are in lakhs and thousands, they do not have to pay them yet, and should wait. Once Aam Aadmi party wins, we will waive off those bills,” Kejriwal said.

Delhi Police Saturday filed a 300-page chargesheet in the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) case, which involves Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Naresh Balyan.

The next date of hearing is January 9. Consideration of the chargesheet will likely be on the same day.

The rehearsal for Republic Day parade continued early Saturday even as dense fog layered Delhi amid intense cold, news agency PTI reported.

Here are some visuals from Kartavya Path:

About 22 trains were delayed and 15 flights were diverted as dense fog conditions continued to prevail over the national Capital early Saturday, news agency PTI reported quoting officials.

Dense fog gripped parts of Delhi early Saturday, with the visibility dropping down to near-zero.

Here are some visuals from the foggy Capital:

Wazirpur (PTI)

Grayah Murti (PTI)

Pandit Pant Marg (PTI)

Akshardham (PTI)

ITO (PTI)

Geeta Colony (PTI)

At least 50 flights were delayed early Saturday as very dense fog conditions prevailed around Delhi airport, starting 11:30 pm on Friday.

As of 05:30 hrs, Palam and Safdarjung airport stations recorded zero visibility, with the Delhi airport requesting passengers to contact respective airlines for updated flight information. While the visibility improved to 50 metres at Palam and 100 metres at Safdarjung at 9 am, CAT III conditions remain in place.

The minimum temperature was recorded to be 7.5 degrees Celsius, 0.5 degrees above normal, today.

Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait arrived at the AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal's residence in New Delhi.

Congress fielded Alka Lamba from the Kalkaji constituency on Friday for the forthcoming Legislative assembly polls in the capital. Lamba will contest against Delhi Chief Minister Atishi.

AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal taking a jibe at the BJP-led Centre, said that the government has not done any development work in Delhi or else, Prime Minister Narendra Modi would not have had to spend 39 minutes of his 43-minute speech cursing the people of the capital and the government they elected with the largest mandate.

"In his speech today, Modiji spent 39 minutes doing nothing but abusing the elected government and people of Delhi. Even two-three hours would be insufficient to list the work done by our government in the last 10 years. On the other hand, the BJP government has not done any work that Modiji could have talked about in his speech. If it had done any work, he would not have had to just abuse the people of Delhi. The party would not have had to try to win the election by abusing the residents of Delhi," the former chief minister said.

Slamming Prime Minister Narendra Modi, AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal said, "The BJP-led government demolished jhuggis in Delhi and because of this 2.78 lakh people have become homeless in the last five years... By 2030, they will break all jhuggis and no one will get a pakka macaan. These people are the enemies of the poor. The houses they (BJP) have given are so bad that people are saying even jhuggis were in a better condition than this...Nark se bhi battar dasha hai un gharo ki."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that in the coming years, the traffic situation in Delhi will be solved and 2025 will be a year of good governance. He said that 7 BJP MPs have submitted suggestions to resolved the traffic deadlock in Delhi, and these suggestions will be taken into consideration by the Centre.

PM Modi said, "Under the one nation, one ration card, the people of Delhi received major help. Over 75 lakh people received free ration in Delhi. Until few years ago, it was difficult to get ration card."

"I want to give free treatment under Ayushman Yojana, but AAP people are villains of Delhi. They are not letting it come here in Delhi. People are suffering because of this."

PM Modi said, "Delhi government, led by AAP, has only lied in front of the public and the central government. They have harmed school education and they openly do corruption. The people who talk about development in Delhi are the ones behind the poor education policy, liquor scam and air pollution."

PM Modi said, "It is not easy for middle class to educate their children in English. Why can't poor and middle class children become doctor engineer?"

"CBSE played an important role in education policy. That's why it has been given new office. DU has also been strengthened over the last few years. Even I was a student in Delhi University," he said.

PM Modi said, "30,000 new houses have been built in Delhi under the PM Awas Yojana. In the next phase, one crore new houses will be built in the national capital with the held of BJP-led central government."

PM Modi said in Ashok Vihar, "The country knows that Modi never built a home for himself. But, in these past 10 years, 4 crore citizens have been given houses. I could have built a palace for myself, but my dream was that all people in my country live in pakka homes."

"It is my promise to the people of Delhi, we will not stop here. We will soon give 3000 more houses for the underprivileged in the capital."

PM Modi said, "Delhi's Ashok Vihar holds great significance for me. When people were fighting against the Emergency, against the dictatorship of PM Indira Gandhi, people like me were underground in Ashok Vihar. This why old memories are coming back as I stand here."

PM Narendra Modi said, "This year will be the year which will see India becoming a manufacturing hub, adding speed to the youth in the startup sector, will give more heights to our vision of women-led development, bettering ease of living and quality of life."

"I congratulate those women who are starting new lives. Own house in place of jhuggi. This is a new start. This is a house of self esteem, new hopes. I am here to be part of your happiness," he said.

Addressing the inauguration ceremony in Delhi today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "Our journey towards becoming the third largest economy in the world has gained speed today…the year 2025 has presented us many opportunities to strengthen the image of India in the eyes of the world."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of projects worth Rs 4,500 crore in Delhi in a major infrastructural push by the central government. These projects are - new EWS flats in Ashok Vihar, Sarojini Nagar government quarters, World Trade centre and new projects in Delhi University, including the Veer Savarkar college.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Ashok Vihar in Delhi on Friday afternoon to inaugurate 1,675 newly constructed flats at Swabhiman Apartments.

Ahead of the inauguration, PM Modi interacted with the EWS families living in the area.

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's husband Robert Vadra said, "I wanted PM (Modi) to give some more respected to him (late former PM Manmohan Singh)... I would want his memorial to be built across the country. There should be a memorial of Dr Manmohan Singh in Delhi University as well. He was very learned person and worked for the welfare of the country. He will be remembered in history for a long time."

CPI leader Annie Raja, on DU college being named after Veer Savarkar, said, "It is also the birth anniversary of Savitri Bai Phule today. But today, they are going to inaugurate a college in the name of a person who spread hatred in the country....On Jan 9, it is Fatima Sheikh's birth anniversary, can there be a DU college in her name? Will the PM name a college after her..."

Attacking the central government, Congress MP Pramod Tiwari said, "Savarkar had nothing to do with Delhi and surrounding areas. There have been great revolutionaries and freedom fighters in and around Delhi... In the wake of the Delhi elections, they have thought about polarisation... They should have named the college after Dr Manmohan Singh, after all, he has been the greatest educationist ever..."