6 turncoats among AAP’s first list of candidates for Delhi Assembly polls

The Aam Aadmi Party released its first list of candidates for the upcoming assembly polls in Delhi on Thursday. The key opposition party has announced names of 11 candidates and among them, six are former leaders of Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress who recently AAP.

Sandeep Pathak, the National General Secretary of AAP issued a statement announcing the candidates for 11 seats. As per the list, the party has fielded Former BJP leaders: Brahm Singh Tanwar from Chhatarpur, Anil Jha from Kirari and BB Tyagi from Laxmi Nagar. Former Congress leaders Chaudhary Zubair Ahmad, Veer Singh Dhingan and Sumesh Shokeen will contest from Seelampur, Seema Puri and Matiala respectively.

AAP has fielded Deepak Singhla in Vishwas Nagar seat, Sarita Singh in Rohtas Nagar, Ram Singh Netaji in Badarpur, Gaurav Sharma in Ghonda and Manoj Tyagi in Karawal Nagar.

The party’s announcement of candidates comes soon after former Delhi minister Kailash Gahlot’s switch to the BJP.  Though speculations were abuzz that Delhi could have early polls this year following the resignation of former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, AAP leader Atishi took over. 

The elections for the 70-seat Delhi Assembly are due in February next year. The party announced its first list after the party’s political affairs committee met at party chief Arvind Kejriwal’s residence on Thursday. Kejriwal has earlier said candidates will be chosen based on their work, public opinion and their winning chances. In the assembly polls held in 2020, AAP won 62 of 70 seats.