NEW DELHI: Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) released its second list of candidates for the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections on Monday, December 9, 2024. The elections are anticipated to take place between mid-February and March 2025, although the Election Commission of India has yet to announce the official dates.
Following a key Political Affairs Committee (PAC) meeting chaired by Arvind Kejriwal, the second list features 20 candidates. Notably, the party has decided to shift former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia from his previous Patparganj seat to Jangpura. This move aligns with prior reporting by The Sunday Guardian. Replacing Sisodia in Patparganj is Awadh Ojha, a renowned history teacher and UPSC educator, who recently joined AAP.
In this second list, AAP has dropped 17 sitting MLAs in favor of new candidates. However, three familiar faces have been re-nominated: Manish Sisodia, Rakhi Bidlan, and Deepu Chaudhary, a former candidate who previously contested unsuccessfully.
Key candidates announced include: Manish Sisodia (Jangpura), Dinesh Bhardwaj (Narela), Surender Pal Singh Bittu (Timarpur), Mukesh Goel (Adarsh Nagar), Rakesh Jatav Dharamrakshak (Mangolpuri), Pradeep Mittal (Rohini), Punardeep Singh Sawhney (Chandni Chowk), Parvesh Ratan (Patel Nagar), Rakhi Bidlan (Madipur), Pravin Kumar (Janakpuri), Surendar Bharadwaj (Bijwasan), Joginder Solanki (Palam)
Additional candidates include Prem Kumar Chauhan (Deoli), Anjana Parcha (Trilokpuri), Awadh Ojha (Patparganj), Vikas Bagga (Krishna Nagar), Naveen Choudhary (Gandhi Nagar), Jitender Singh Shunty (Shahdara Padamshri), and Adil Ahmad Khan (Mustafabad).
Manish Sisodia expressed his gratitude on social media platform X for being entrusted with the Jangpura constituency. He thanked Arvind Kejriwal and AAP for their confidence in him and reflected on his time in Patparganj, describing it as the “heart of Delhi’s education revolution.”
He welcomed Awadh Ojha’s candidacy for Patparganj, stating that it was fitting for another educator to take over the seat. Sisodia reiterated his commitment to education, service, and development, affirming that his goal remains public welfare, not power. He concluded his message with a promise to continue working for the betterment of Delhi and expressed that the trust of the people is his greatest strength.