The BJP is going to announce its candidates for the February 7 Assembly polls on Monday. While ticket seekers wait in anticipation, sources within the party have indicated that around five tickets shall go to women, whereas, due to anti-incumbency factor, only a few office bearers of the municipal corporations are likely to get a ticket.
Party insiders have told that out of the 28 MlAs in the fray, the party is going to repeat 24 of them. In Janakpuri constituency, Delhi BJP general secretary Ashish Sood is likely to replace senior leader Jagdish Mukhi who is a septuagenarian and whose son-in-law Suresh Kumar will be fighting from the same seat on Congress’ ticket. Another septuagenarian, Nand Kishore Garg may not be fighting from Sultanpuri.
Ranjit Singh Kashyap who won in the previous election from the reserved seat of Gokalpuri is also likely to be axed due to his face SC certificate controversy because of which he has a pending court case. Delhi BJP president Satish Upadhyay may contest from Mehrauli as the seat has been left vacant after its wining candidate Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma became an MP in the lok Sabha polls. From Palam constituency, the party is likely to field former MlA Dharam Dev Solanki’s son.
The women brigade is going to be led by former IPS officer Kiran Bedi whose candidature was announced by national BJP president Amit Shah during her induction into the party. She is likely to fight from New Delhi against Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal or from Malviya Nagar. Delhi unit general secretary Rekha Gupta is likely to be fielded from Shalimar Bagh, whereas, Mahila Morcha president Kamal Jeet Sehrawat may get Matiala. Others women contenders include Shikha Rai and Aarti Mehra.
The Central Election Committee of the party will hold a meeting at 12 noon on Monday to decide on the final candidates. “Office bearers of the three municipal corporations are less likely to be represented in large numbers due to anti-incumbency factor. The top brass would rather go for a fresh face or a youth preferably,” said a senior BJP leader.