There was no surprise in store in the Aam Aadmi Party's first list of 22 candidates released on Thursday as the party renominated all those who had contested on these seats the last time.
Party has also constituted a team comprising Ashish Khetan and Prof. Anand Kumar who would probe any allegation which is received against the candidates. Announcing the list at Constitution Club here, party leaders said that if any allegation is found to be true, the party won't hesitate in replacing these candidates.
Somnath Bharti (Malviya Nagar), Saurabh Bhardwaj (Greater Kailash) Satyendra Jain (Shakur Basti) and Girish Soni (Madipur), four erstwhile MLAs who served as ministers in the 49-day-long Aam Aadmi Party government will once again go to the people to seek a fresh term for themselves.
As would nine others who went on to win from their respective seats the last time. These candidates include Manoj Kumar (Kondli), Jarnail Singh (Tilak Nagar), Bandana Kumari (Shalimar Bagh), and Cammando Surender (Delhi Cantonment).
Then there are ten more who stood second or third the last time and would try their luck yet again. Among these, at least two candidates -- Gulab Singh and Kapil Mishra from Matiala and Karawal Nagar respectively – had lost by a thin margin.
Answering questions on holding back the names of party chief Arvind Kejriwal and his key Lieutenant Manish Sisodia, party leaders said that their names may feature in the lists to come in future.
Putting speculations on Mr. Kejriwal moving to a new seat from New Delhi where he trounced Sheila Dikshit to win the last time, party leader Ashutosh made it clear that Mr. Kejriwal would contest from his existing seat.
It is learnt that the party plans to host a separate event to make the formal announcement of Mr. Kejriwal's candidature from New Delhi and his name as the party's nominee for the Chief Minister's post.
The name of Mr. Bharti, who is facing prosecution for racially abusing foreign nationals living in his constituency, has raised a few eyebrows. The BJP called the decision as one which “not only undermines the judicial system but also insults women.”
The second list of the party will be announced in the next few days. In total, the AAP is likely to field 20 former MLAs.
