The Sunday Standard

End of patience with AAP: Congress finalises seven names for Lok Sabha seats in Delhi

Parvez Sultan

NEW DELHI:  Amidst uncertainty over alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the Congress is likely to release the list of its candidates for seven parliamentary seats in the Delhi on Sunday. The list was finalised by party president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday.  

“The names have been given go-ahead by Rahulji today. The list may come on Sunday as PC Chacko is not in the city. He is coming back tomorrow after his arrival, it may be made public,” said a senior Congress leader. 

According to Congress leaders, the final list has the names of four former Delhi Congress presidents and five of them are former members of parliament except two—Rajesh Lilothia and Olympic medalist and wrestler Sushil Kumar.

Sushil is likely to be fielded from West Delhi, which has a significant Jat population. Earlier, this constituency was held by prominent Purvanchali face in Congress Mahabal Mishra.

Lilothia is being considered for Northwest Delhi. The former Delhi MLA is one of working presidents of Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee.  Delhi Congress chief Sheila Dikshit may be given Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha after she refused to contest from East Delhi as discussed by the party leadership earlier. 

If she is shifted to Chandni Chowk, former Delhi Congress chief Arvinder Singh Lovely may be asked to contest from East Delhi.

“Neither the list has come out nor I have been communicated officially about the development. As a dutiful Congress worker I will follow the direction of the party leadership. We keep doing work on the ground and remain ready to take up any challenge. I am prepared to contest,” said Lovely.  

Jai Prakash Agrawal and Ajay Maken are running for Northeast Delhi and New Delhi parliamentary constituency.  “If Mishra is dropped, then there will be no Purvanchali Congress candidate. Mishra may be given organizational responsibility. His name was in the list prepared by the screening committee, which was sent the Central leadership,” said an office bearer of the Congress.

If the list comes on Sunday, the Congress candidates will get two days to file their nomination as the process in Delhi ends on April 23. 

A party leader said Ramesh Kumar might get a ticket despite reports saying he may not get chance due to a conviction of brother Sajjan Kumar.

Sources say even though the possibility of formation of an alliance has been completely closed in Haryana, the AAP is still open to the alliance in Delhi.

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