The BJP has unveiled its first list of 29 candidates for the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections, sparking a high-stakes political showdown. Among the key contests, former MP Parvesh Verma will challenge AAP leader and former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal in the New Delhi constituency, while ex-MP Ramesh Bidhuri takes on Chief Minister Atishi in Kalkaji.
The New Delhi seat, a stronghold of Kejriwal since 2013, is set to witness a dramatic battle involving heirs of political legacies. Verma, son of former chief minister Sahib Singh Verma, has been actively campaigning even before the official announcement, claiming early approval from BJP’s national leadership. Meanwhile, Congress has fielded Sandeep Dikshit, son of three-term chief minister Sheila Dikshit, completing a triad of political dynasties in the fray.
The BJP’s candidate list reflects a strategic mix of seasoned politicians, defectors from rival parties, and fresh faces. Prominent leaders who recently joined BJP, such as former Delhi Congress president Arvinder Singh Lovely, are among the party’s top bets. Lovely will contest from Gandhi Nagar, replacing sitting BJP MLA Anil Bajpai, who had earlier defeated him in the 2020 polls.
In Jangpura, Tarvinder Singh Marwah, a three-time Congress MLA who switched to BJP in 2022, will face AAP’s Manish Sisodia. Other notable candidates include Kailash Gahlot from Bijwasan, Raaj Kumar Anand from Patel Nagar, and ND Sharma from Badarpur—seats where former AAP leaders now represent BJP.
The BJP’s lineup also features high-profile incumbents like OP Sharma (Vishwas Nagar), Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta (Rohini), and Ajay Mahawar (Ghonda). Meanwhile, prominent party leaders like Dushyant Kumar Gautam and Ashish Sood will contest from Karol Bagh and Janakpuri, respectively.
With elections to the 70-member Delhi Assembly scheduled next month, the BJP is aiming to dismantle AAP’s decade-long dominance in the city. Party officials expressed confidence in their “strong” candidates, projecting them as agents of change in a city grappling with governance challenges.
The stakes are high, and the battle lines are drawn as Delhi gears up for an electrifying electoral showdown.
