The Congress party on Friday announced Alka Lamba as its candidate for the Kalkaji constituency in the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections. Lamba, a former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) member and prominent Congress leader, will go head-to-head against the incumbent Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Atishi in what is shaping up to be a high-profile electoral showdown.
Initially, Lamba was reluctant to contest from Kalkaji, expressing her preference for Chandni Chowk, the seat she won in 2015 while with AAP. However, the Congress had already fielded Mudit Agarwal in Chandni Chowk. After discussions with senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Lamba agreed to contest from Kalkaji.
In an official statement, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) said, “The Central Election Committee has approved the candidature of Ms. Alka Lamba as the Congress candidate to contest the forthcoming general election to the Legislative Assembly of Delhi from 51 - Kalkaji constituency.”
Responding to her nomination, Lamba took aim at AAP and Atishi. "I don’t think I am contesting against the CM. Arvind Kejriwal himself called Atishi a 'temporary CM,' so she has only a month left. Both Kejriwal and Atishi have disrespected a constitutional post by turning it into a proxy," Lamba asserted.
"My fight is not against any individual. My fight is for the people of this city who have suffered due to the AAP’s misgovernance. Despite being the national capital, Delhi struggles with unclean air, polluted Yamuna water, soaring inflation, homelessness, and rampant unemployment. For the past decade, government and administration have been at odds, leaving citizens in despair,” she added.
The Kalkaji constituency has been a stronghold for AAP, with Atishi securing a resounding victory in the 2020 elections, garnering over 55,000 votes. The BJP’s Dharambir came in second, while Congress’ Shivani Chopra finished a distant third with less than 5,000 votes.
With Lamba now in the fray, the Kalkaji seat is expected to witness an intense battle.
