Delhi polls: BJP to field Vijender Gupta against Sheila Dikshit, Kejriwal

New Delhi: Seeking to end Congress’ stranglehold in Delhi, BJP on Wednesday released a list of 62 candidates for the assembly elections pitting former state unit chief Vijender Gupta against formidable Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit while alloting four seats to ally Akali Dal.

The party’s Chief Ministerial candidate Harsh Vardhan will contest from his present seat-Krishnanagar. All the 23 sitting MLAs have been re-nominated.

The list was made public after intense confabulations and consensus-building lasting over eight hours in the Central Election Committee which met in New Delhi today. Names of candidates for four more seats are yet to be announced.

Gupta, who wanted to contest from Shalimar Bagh or Rohini, was asked to contest from New Delhi seat minutes before the candidates’ list was announced. Dikshit is likely to contest from this seat while Aam Admi Party Chief Arvind Kejriwal will also enter the fray from the same constituency.

BJP sorted out its differences with key ally Shiromani Akali Dal and agreed to leave four seats for them. SAD will contest from Rajouri Garden, Hari Nagar, Kalkaji and Shahdara constituencies. SAD leader Naresh Gujral, who met the BJP leaders at the party headquarters, said his party is happy with the outcome.

PTI