981 Candidates File 1521 Nominations for Delhi Polls

New Delhi: The upcoming Delhi Assembly elections have seen a significant surge in participation, with a total of 981 candidates filing 1521 nominations for the 70 assembly constituencies, according to the Election Commission of India (ECI). The polling is scheduled for February 5, with today set aside for the scrutiny of nominations, while January 20 is the final date for withdrawal of candidature.

On January 17, the last date for filing nominations, 680 nomination papers were submitted, marking a busy day for election officials. Among the constituencies, the New Delhi segment recorded the highest number of nomination papers filed, with 29 candidates submitting 40 papers. This constituency is a key battleground as former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) faces off against BJP’s Pravesh Verma, son of former CM Sahib Singh Verma, and Congress’s Sandeep Dikshit, son of late Sheila Dikshit, another former CM of Delhi.

In contrast, the Kasturba Nagar constituency reported the lowest number of nominations, with six candidates filing nine papers. From this seat, AAP has fielded Ramesh Pahlwan, BJP has named Neeraj, and Congress has put forward Abhishek Dutt. Similarly, the Kalkaji seat has attracted considerable attention, with 18 candidates filing 28 nomination papers. The incumbent Chief Minister Atishi is contesting here against BJP’s Ramesh Bidhuri and Congress’s Alka Lamba.

Another closely watched constituency is Patparganj, where AAP has fielded Awadh Ojha, a celebrated teacher, to replace former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. Patparganj received 20 nomination papers from 11 candidates. Meanwhile, Sisodia, who has been contesting from Patparganj since 2013, has shifted to Jangpura this year, which saw 19 nomination papers from 12 candidates.

The nominations reflect diverse participation across Delhi’s regions. In Central Delhi, 99 candidates filed 154 papers, while East Delhi recorded 119 papers from 79 candidates. The New Delhi region, which includes Patel Nagar, Rajendra Nagar, and Greater Kailash, saw 135 nominations from 85 candidates. North Delhi reported 183 nominations from 108 candidates, and North-East Delhi received 116 nominations from 80 candidates.

The North-West Delhi region saw 90 candidates file 139 nominations, while the Shahdara region had 78 candidates submitting 124 papers. South Delhi, which comprises key constituencies like Malviya Nagar and Mehrauli, received 88 nominations from 57 candidates. South-East Delhi recorded 140 nominations from 93 candidates, and South-West Delhi led with 153 nominations filed by 108 candidates. This region includes constituencies like Nangloi Jat, Madipur, and Tilak Nagar.

As the elections approach, the political atmosphere in Delhi is heating up. The three main parties—AAP, BJP, and Congress—are engaging in intense exchanges. AAP and Congress, which were part of an informal alliance during the Lok Sabha elections, are contesting separately this time, causing friction between the two. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi recently questioned Arvind Kejriwal on his efforts to tackle inflation and support the poor in Delhi. Kejriwal responded by accusing Congress and BJP of having a covert partnership, dubbing it a “Jugalbandi.”

Meanwhile, the BJP-led NDA appears united, with candidates announced for 68 of the 70 seats. Two seats, Burari and Deoli, have been allocated to JDU’s Shailendra Kumar and LJG (RV), respectively. The Congress, on the other hand, is striving to regain lost ground after failing to win a single seat in the past two assembly elections.

In the 2020 Delhi Assembly elections, AAP dominated by winning 62 out of 70 seats, while BJP managed only eight seats. The Congress, which ruled Delhi for 15 years under Sheila Dikshit’s leadership, is looking to reverse its fortunes in these elections.

Delhi will head to the polls on February 5, with the counting of votes scheduled for February 8. The assembly elections are not just a battle for governance but also a test of political strategies, alliances, and voter sentiment in the national capital.