Congress goes alone in Delhi, announces candidates' names for 6 out of 7 seats

NEW DEKHI: After a month long uncertainty over alliance with AAP, the Congress on Monday made its intention of going into the polls alone and declared candidates on six of the seven

Lok Sabha

seats in the national capital.


Springing a few surprises, the Congress has fielded former chief minister Sheila Dikshit from North East Dekhi, the seat currently represented by BJP Delhi chief and Bhojpuri superstar Manoj Tiwari.

Former Union minister Ajay Maken has been fielded from New Delhi, ex-Delhi minister Arvinder Singh Lovely from East, Delhi Congress working president Rajesh Lilothia from North West, veteran leader Jai Prakash Agarwal from

Chandni Chowk

and Purvanchali leader Mahabali Mishra from West Delhi.

The name of the candidate from South Delhi had not been declared till the filing of this report. Sources, however, said the party was considering the names of Olympian Sushil Kumar, former MP Ramesh Kumar and ex-Delhi assembly speaker Yoganand Shastri for the seat .

Dikshit's name was initially shortlisted by the Congress leadership for East Delhi, the constituency her son represented for two consecutive terms. Sources later said the Delhi Congress chief was more keen on contesting from Chandni Chowk.

North East Delhi

parliamentary constituency is dominated by Muslim and Purvanchali voters and Dikshit is likely to get a huge support, a source said.

Former West Delhi MP Mahabali Mishra also managed to find a place in the list released on Monday morning. A large number of his supporters had staged a protest outside the residence of Congress president Rahul Gandhi demanding ticket for the Purvanchali heavyweight.

Veteran Congress leader Jai Prakash Agarwal, who congested the last three elections from North East Delhi and won in 2004 and 2009, has ben shifted back to his erstwhile seat of Chandni Chowk , which he had represented twice in the Parliament.