In a significant collaboration, Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener, Arvind Kejriwal, is set to hold two roadshows for Congress candidates in Jahangirpuri and Model Town on Wednesday.
This marks Kejriwal’s first joint election campaign with the Congress. The Delhi CM will campaign in support of Congress candidates Jai Prakash Agarwal from Chandni Chowk, Udit Raj from North West Delhi, and Kanhaiya Kumar from North East Delhi, according to the Delhi Congress.
The AAP and Congress are operating under a 3:4 seat-sharing agreement in Delhi for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. AAP is contesting four seats, while Congress has fielded candidates in three constituencies.
Key Candidates and Contests:
- Kanhaiya Kumar is running in North East Delhi against BJP’s two-time MP Manoj Tiwari. Kumar, who previously contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections as a Communist Party of India (CPI) candidate from Begusarai in Bihar, joined the Congress in 2021 after losing to BJP’s Giriraj Singh.
- Jai Prakash Agarwal is the Congress candidate for Chandni Chowk, where he will face BJP’s Praveen Khandelwal. Agarwal has a history of winning this constituency in 1984, 1989, and 1996.
- Udit Raj is contesting from North West Delhi against BJP’s Yogendra Chandolia. Raj, who previously won this seat in 2014 as a BJP candidate, joined the Congress in 2019.
The Lok Sabha elections in Delhi will be conducted in a single phase on May 25, covering seven constituencies: New Delhi, South Delhi, East Delhi, West Delhi, Chandni Chowk, North West, and North East Delhi. The vote counting is scheduled for June 4.
Kejriwal’s participation in the roadshows follows his release from Tihar Jail on May 10, after being jailed for 50 days on corruption charges related to an alleged liquor policy scam. The Supreme Court granted him bail until June 1.
This roadshow signifies a strategic partnership between AAP and Congress under the INDIA bloc, aiming to consolidate their voter base against the BJP in the capital. The combined effort in these roadshows highlights the importance of unity within the opposition to challenge the ruling party effectively.