BJP’s First List For Delhi Polls Out, Ex-MP Parvesh Verma To Take On Arvind Kejriwal

Last Updated:January 04, 2025, 4:08 PM IST

BJP’s List Of Candidates For Delhi Assembly Election: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday released the first list of 29 candidates for the forthcoming Delhi Assembly Elections 2025

BJP’s Parvesh Verma To Contest Arvind Kejriwal in New Delhi seat | File Image/PTI

Delhi Assembly Election: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday released the first list of 29 candidates for the forthcoming Delhi Assembly Elections 2025 and fielded several key candidates, including former MP Parvesh Verma against former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal from the New Delhi seat.

While the BJP released its first list, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has released the names of all the candidates who will be contesting on the 70 seats in Delhi Assembly elections, scheduled for February.

BJP pitted former MP Ramesh Bidhuri against Delhi Chief Minister Atishi in Kalkaji and also extended a ticket to turncoat Kailash Gahlot, who recently joined the BJP after accusing AAP of “diluted values and principles.” Gahlot will contest the election from the Bijwasan seat.

Arvinder Singh Lovely, who served as a minister in Sheila Dikshit’s cabinet from 2003 to 2013, also got the ticket to contest the Gandhinagar seat in east Delhi. He left the Congress last year and joined the BJP.

Other key candidates include Dushyant Gautam from Karol Bagh and Manjinder Singh Sirsa from Rajouri Garden. BJP has also announced the candidature of Ravinder Singh Negi from Patparganj, a seat which will see a fierce battle between BJP and AAP’s Avadh Ojha, a UPSC tutor who recently joined Delhi’s ruling party and is set to make his electoral debut from the segment in place of Manish Sisodia.

Arvind Kejriwal Vs Parvesh Verma

The high-profile seat of New Delhi is set to witness a nail-biting contest as the BJP has announced the candidature of ex-MP Parvesh Verma, accused by the AAP of distributing cash to voters, against AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal.

Verma in a post on X expressed gratitude towards BJP leadership for the trust bestowed on him to contest against Kejriwal.

“I express my heartfelt gratitude to the honourable Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi, Home Minister respected Amit Shah, BJP National President Jagat Prakash Nadda and Delhi State BJP in-charge Mr Panda for the trust bestowed on me for being made the BJP candidate from New Delhi Assembly. I have received this responsibility due to your trust and guidance. I will work with full loyalty and dedication and will take Delhi towards progress and prosperity,” he said.

Fanning the flames, the Congress has fielded Sandeep Dikshit, the son of former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, from the seat, making it a three-cornered contest.

Arvind Kejriwal has represented the New Delhi constituency as an MLA since 2013. Parvesh Verma, the son of former Delhi Chief Minister Sahib Singh Verma, has come under fire from the AAP, which accused him of distributing Rs 1,100 to women in the New Delhi area.

The AAP has also filed a complaint with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against Verma, who has denied the allegations.

AAP has enjoyed a majority government in the national capital since 2015, securing a thumping victory twice in Delhi Assembly elections. However, it has faced major setbacks in Lok Sabha polls, failing to win a single seat since 2014. The upcoming polls will witness a fierce electoral battle between the AAP and the opposition BJP.