The Delhi polls are scheduled to take place early next year
New Delhi:
The BJP will not project a Chief Ministerial candidate for the Delhi polls and a “big name” will contest against Arvind Kejriwal, top party sources told NDTV on Friday.
Not naming a Chief Minister is a strategy that the BJP has followed in Maharashtra, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, among other states.
Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party or AAP – earlier than other parties in the poll race – has already announced candidates for all 70 seats for the elections due early next year.
The sources said that the BJP is “extremely confident” of giving a tough fight in the New Delhi seat held by Arvind Kejriwal and a “big name” will be contesting against the former Chief Minister.
Days after securing bail in the liquor policy case in September, Mr Kejriwal quit as Chief Minister naming Atishi in his place.
“I got justice from the legal court, now I will get justice from the people’s court. I will sit on the Chief Minister’s chair only after the order of the people,” said Mr Kejriwal in September, who is now on a padyatra (foot march) across all Delhi constituencies.
The BJP plans to target the Delhi government over alleged corruption, said the source, adding anti-incumbency is the other point on which the BJP is banking on.
Former BJP MPs and those who were not given the ticket in 2024 Lok Sabha polls may be asked to contest the Delhi polls, the source said further.
Some seats will also be distributed between Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party and Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal United, BJP allies.
On Wednesday, the BJP announced a 21-member State Election Committee tasked with screening of potential candidates. Later, Prime Minister Narendra Modi-chaired Central Election Committee will meet to take the final call.
In 2015, the AAP won 67 seats and the BJP just three. In the next election in 2020, the AAP won 62 seats and the BJP eight. The Congress failed to open its account on both occasions.
