Delhi Congress president and former chief minister Sheila Dikshit. (File Photo)Sheila Dikshit, former Delhi chief minister and DPCC president, has been named as Congress’s candidate from North East Delhi and JP Aggarwal from Chandni Chowk. The party Monday announced its candidates for six out of seven seats in Delhi for the Lok Sabha elections.
Former DPCC president Ajay Maken is in the fray from New Delhi while Arvinder Singh Lovely from East Delhi. A five-time MLA, Lovely held important portfolios such as education, tourism, urban development and transport as a minister. Elected to the Assembly from Gandhi Nagar seat for the first time in 1998, he had not lost a single election. He did not contest the 2015 elections when AAP won a brute majority.
Olympic wrestler Sushil Kumar, whose name was in the running for West Delhi, has not been given a ticket. The party’s Purvanchali face Mahabal Mishra has been given ticket instead.
Rajesh Lilothia has been chosen to contest from North West Delhi.
Congress Central Election Committee announces candidates for the ensuing elections to the Lok Sabha from NCT of Delhi. pic.twitter.com/MLnHg8eHlP
— Congress (@INCIndia) April 22, 2019
The party is yet to announce a candidate for South Delhi. The probable names for the seat are Ramesh Kumar Chauhan and Sushil Kumar.
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This announcement has virtually closed all doors on the possibility of an alliance with AAP — the two parties had previously agreed to a 4-3 formula before talks were disrupted. They have not been able to reach an agreement in Haryana either.