New Delhi: With the Aam Admi Party (AAP) fielding strong candidates in several constituencies, all eyes are now on the BJP list that is likely to be announced on Thursday night.
Sources said though all odds are in favour of chief minister Arvind Kejriwal in the New Delhi seat, the saffron party wants to put up a strong candidate against him to avoid a walkover.
There was a buzz that AAP rebel Kumar Vishwas may join BJP and enter the fray against Kejriwal. However, Vishwas denied reports that he is joining BJP. However, sources in BJP said Vishwas may be under consideration as the party wants to field a strong candidate who can at least put up a semblance of a contest. Another AAP rebel Kapil Mishra is also said to be in contention.
BJP had fielded Nupur Sharma, a politcal greenhorn, against Kejriwal in 2015. Party sources said the list of candidates will be finalised on Thursday and an announcement is likely late evening. The last date of filing nominations is January 21. It is not clear if any of the 15 AAP MLAs who were denied a ticket this time will switch over to BJP. Party sources claimed some of them are in touch with the party.
The Delhi Assembly elections are seen as a one-sided match with the debate centered around which party will get how many seats. Congress, a distant third in the contest, may wrest a few seats depending on its candidates.
If Congress puts up a good fight it will help the BJP which hopes to gain in the triangular contest as the grand old party will cut into AAP votes. In wake of the protests over Citizenship Amendment Act, a big chunk of the minority votes will swing towards AAP as it is in a position to defeat BJP. Apart from the New Delhi seat, where Kejriwal is in the fray, there will be interesting contests in several other seats.
Source: Economic Times
