AAP announces candidates for MCD bypolls

The Aam Aadmi Party on Sunday announced its candidates for the November 30 bypolls to the 12 wards of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, a day ahead of the conclusion of nomination submission.

The list was approved by Delhi unit president Saurabh Bharadwaj.

A keen contest between the ruling BJP and the AAP is likely during the polls.

While it serves as an opportunity for the AAP to regain lost ground in the MCD, the BJP will look to further strengthen its tally in the 250-member civic body.

According to the list, AAP’s Ram Swaroop Kanojia will contest from Dakshin Puri, Anuj Sharma from Sangam Vihar A, and Eeshna Gupta from Greater Kailash. Geeta Rawat has been named AAP candidate from Vinod Nagar, while Babita Ahlawat will fight from Shalimar Bagh B.

Seema Vikas Goel has been fielded from Ashok Vihar, Harsh Sharma from Chandni Chowk, and Muddasir Usman Qureshi from Chandni Mahal. Rajbala Sehrawat will contest from Dwarka B, Anil Lakra from Mundka, Rajan Arora from Naraina, and Neelu Keshav Chauhan from Dichao Kalan.

The last date of filing of nominations is November 10, and the scrutiny of papers will take place on November 12. The last date of withdrawal of nomination is November 15.

Reacting to the AAP’s list, Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said in a post on X, “@AamAadmiParty has fielded former councillor Geeta Rawat, who was earlier arrested in a bribery case, from Vinod Nagar ward. So much for the politics of ‘change’!”

Of the 12 wards going to the polls, the BJP held nine earlier, while AAP councillors represented the remaining three. Rekha Gupta represented the Shalimar Bagh-B ward, which she relinquished after winning the assembly polls earlier this year, becoming Delhi’s chief minister.

BJP’s Kamaljeet Sehrawat vacated the Dwarka-B ward after getting elected as MP from the West Delhi Lok Sabha seat. The remaining wards fell vacant after the sitting councillors from the BJP and AAP became MLAs following the assembly polls in February this year.