AAP may name its candidates for Lok Sabha elections next week

NEWDELHI:THE Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which is pulling up its socks for 2019 general elections, may announce the party’s candidates from all seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi by next week.

AAP’S Delhi convener Gopal Rai said on Friday that the party has been preparing for the Lok Sabha elections and has already appointed prabharis (in-charge) for five of the seven constituencies. Party spokesperson Dilip Pandey is in charge of the Northeast Delhi segment, AAP’S national secretary Pankaj Gupta has been given charge of Chandni Chowk, former BJP MLA is looking after Bawana, Guggan Singh Ranga is for Northwest Delhi and spokesperson Raghav Chadha is in charge of the South Delhi Lok Sabha constituency.

Party leader Atishi, who was put in charge of East Delhi constituency, was introduced as AAP’S official candidate from the seat by chief minister and party’s national convener Arvind Kejriwal last month – the first candidature AAP has declared so far.

Rai said these five leaders are likely to remain the faces of the party in the upcoming polls, unless there is an “unforeseen development”. The announcement for candidates for two seats -- New Delhi and West Delhi -- is awaited.

“We will make a formal announcement probably by next week. For the West Delhi and New Delhi constituencies, we are still considering names. Around eight to 10 names are being discussed,” Rai said. AAP leaders said these candidates have been chosen for their work in specific fields. For instance, Atishi is known in Delhi for her work in the field of education and improving government schools along with Delhi’s deputy chief minister and education minister Manish Sisodia. Pandey has a close support base among the volunteers because of his former position as the party’s Delhi’s convenor. Chadha, the party said, has established a connect with the city’s youth, while Ranga proved his mettle by winning the AAP the Bawana by-polls based on his extensive work in the rural belt of Delhi.