The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is making bold moves ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections, releasing its second list of 20 candidates on Monday. The list features significant changes, including the reassignment of former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia from Patparganj to Jangpura. Awadh Ojha will contest from Sisodia’s previous seat in Patparganj.
Delhi Minister Gopal Rai shed light on the meticulous process behind the selection. “The names of 11 candidates were announced in the first list. Today, the Political Affairs Committee (PAC), under the chairmanship of Arvind Kejriwal, finalised 20 more names. Our effort is to ensure that the candidates reach the field as soon as possible and intensify the campaign by connecting with the public,” he said.
Rai emphasised that the candidate selection was rooted in micro-level feedback from across Delhi. “The seats of two big faces – Manish Sisodia and Rakhi Birla – have changed. Among the remaining 18 candidates who have been declared, we have made our councilors the candidates. Performance is the basis of the selection of candidates,” he added.
The second list reflects a significant shake-up, with 17 sitting MLAs being replaced by new faces. However, some familiar names, such as Sisodia, Rakhi Birla, and Deepu Chaudhary—a former candidate who lost in the previous election—made the cut.
Meanwhile, the AAP women’s wing is spearheading a grassroots campaign to connect directly with women voters. According to a press release, the wing has formed 5,000 women’s groups, each comprising eight members. These groups are tasked with reaching out to ten women each and are holding three to four meetings daily across all 70 constituencies.
The initiative aims to highlight welfare schemes implemented by the AAP-led Delhi government for women, solidifying their support base in the capital.
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With micro-level strategies, new candidates, and focused outreach efforts, the AAP is leaving no stone unturned as it gears up to secure a strong mandate in the upcoming elections.
