AAP Unveils Final List of 38 Candidates in Delhi: Kejriwal and CM Atishi Maintain Their Positions

New Delhi, Dec 15 (NationPress) The ruling AAP has disclosed its conclusive fourth list of 38 candidates on Sunday, re-nominating Chief Minister Atishi from her Kalkaji constituency and Arvind Kejriwal from the New Delhi constituency, alongside maintaining the positions of nearly all Cabinet ministers.
Controversial Uttam Nagar legislator Naresh Balyan, who was arrested in a suspected extortion case, has been substituted by his wife Pooja Naresh Balyan.
Another unexpected addition was Ramesh Pahelwan from Kasturba Nagar, who takes the place of three-time sitting legislator Madan Lal. Pahelwan returned to the party just hours before the final list of candidates was released after having left it in 2013.
The AAP has reaffirmed its confidence in Mehrauli legislator Naresh Yadav, who faced criticism from the opposition following his conviction in a Quran sacrilege case in Punjab.
The list, published by party National General Secretary Sandeep Pathak, reflects the party’s trust in the accomplishments of over three dozen sitting legislators who have been granted tickets once more for the upcoming elections to form a 70-member Assembly.
Minister Gopal Rai will contest from Babarpur, while his Cabinet colleague Saurabh Bhardwaj will compete from Greater Kailash.
Okhla legislator Amanatullah Khan, who was implicated in a suspected case regarding Waqf Board irregularities, is also being fielded again. Former Health Minister Satyendra Kumar Jain, who spent nearly a year in jail over a money laundering case, will recontest from Shakur Basti.
Former MP Mahabal Mishra’s son Vinay Mishra is once again nominated from Dwarka. Former Delhi Law Minister Somnath Bharti will run for the Malviya Nagar seat again.
Other notable candidates include: Sanjeev Jha from Burari, Ajesh Yadav from Badli, Mohinder Goyal from Rithala, Jai Bhagwan from Bawana, Mukesh Kumar Ahlawat from Sultan Pur Majra, Raghuvinder Shokeen from Nangloi Jat, Bandana Kumari from Shalimar Bagh, Preeti Tomar from Tri Nagar, Rajesh Gupta from Wazirpur, Akhilesh Pati Tripathi from Model Town, Som Dutt from Sadar Bazar, Shoaib Iqbal from Matia Mahal, and Imran Hussain from Ballimaran.