New Delhi:
Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party has announced its candidates for Delhi and Haryana days after coming to a seat sharing agreement with the Congress. The Grand Old party, which is contesting three seats in the national capital, appears to be focussing on Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.
AAP’s candidates for Delhi will be party’s senior leader Somnath Bharti (New Delhi), Sahiram Pehalwan (South Delhi), Mahabal Mishra (West Delhi) and Kuldeep Kumar (East Delhi).
The candidate for Haryana’s Kurukshetra will be Sushil Gupta.
Senior AAP leader Sandeep Pathak said, “We will fight in five states and total 29 candidates will contest.
“These candidates have selected after so many meetings and calculations. We have to win each and every seat,” said senior party leader Gopal Rai.
“The biggest criteria to select a candidate for AAP is winnability… BJP MP doesn’t work doesn’t live among public but AAP MP works and is available day and night for public,” he added.
Mr Rai also said the party has taken a “historic decision” by fielding a Schedule Caste candidate from the East Delhi constituency, which is a general seat. “Kuldeep Kumar comes from a Scheduled Caste category, and this would be the first time in Delhi that a reserve category candidate will be fighting from a general seat,” he said.
Mr Kumar has been selected with a motive to end caste-based politics, added Aatishi. “AAP only sees who work for public and live with public. Only because of his work and public service we have given him ticket,” she added.
