bjp-focuses-on-winnability-with-1st-delhi-candidates-list

In a significant move ahead of the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) released its first list of 29 candidates.

 

The list highlights a strategic focus on “winnability” with the inclusion of several former leaders from both the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress, many of whom recently joined the BJP.

 

The candidates chosen reflect a mix of experienced political figures, some of whom have previously held key positions within their former parties.

 

One of the most high-profile contests in this election will see former BJP MP Parvesh Verma contesting against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the New Delhi constituency.

 

भारतीय जनता पार्टी की केंद्रीय चुनाव समिति ने दिल्ली में होने वाले विधानसभा चुनाव-2025 के लिए निम्नलिखित नामों पर अपनी स्वीकृति प्रदान की। pic.twitter.com/icDL7iUR8n

— BJP Delhi (@BJP4Delhi) January 4, 2025

 

Verma, who previously represented West Delhi in Parliament, will be pitted against the AAP leader in what promises to be an intense battle. Similarly, Ramesh Bidhuri, another former BJP MP, will take on Chief Minister Atishi from Kalkaji.

 

This sets the stage for three-cornered fights in both constituencies, further intensifying the competition in the capital.

 

Alongside these prominent figures, the BJP has also fielded several high-profile turncoats. Former Delhi Congress president Arvinder Singh Lovely, who has been a strongman in East Delhi, will contest from Gandhi Nagar.

 

Lovely, who joined the BJP ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, brings years of experience in Delhi politics. 

 

Additionally, Raj Kumar Chauhan, a former Congress minister, has been given the ticket from Mangolpuri, another area that has witnessed significant political activity in recent years. Both Lovely and Chauhan were part of the Congress government led by the late Sheila Dikshit.

 

Former AAP minister Kailash Gahlot, known for his significant role in the Kejriwal Cabinet, has also joined the BJP.

 

Gahlot, who switched allegiances to the BJP in November 2023, has been given the ticket from Bijwasan, an area that has seen shifting political dynamics over the years. His inclusion in the BJP’s list signals the party’s intent to capitalise on his local influence and reputation.

 

Another key figure making a return to the political arena is Kartar Singh Tanwar, who had previously served as an AAP MLA from Chhatarpur. Tanwar, who joined the BJP in 2023, will contest from the same constituency.

 

The BJP has also given a ticket to Satish Upadhyay, the former Delhi BJP president and a former vice-chairperson of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), from Malviya Nagar. These moves indicate the BJP’s focus on strong local connections and their efforts to attract seasoned leaders to its fold.

 

In terms of strategy, the BJP’s focus on “winnability” is evident in its choice of candidates. Party sources have suggested that Neeraj Basoya, another recent Congress defector, could be fielded from Kasturba Nagar in the next list.

 

The BJP has also accommodated two former MPs, Parvesh Verma and Ramesh Bidhuri, further emphasising its preference for popular faces who have a strong local following.

 

The BJP’s first list has seen some surprises as well. For example, the party has dropped its Gandhi Nagar MLA Anil Bajpai, who had previously been part of the AAP, and replaced him with Arvinder Singh Lovely.

 

Similarly, former AAP minister Raaj Kumar Anand, who joined the BJP recently, has been fielded from Patel Nagar, while former BJP Rajya Sabha MP Dushyant Gautam has been given a ticket from Karol Bagh.

 

These selections underline the BJP’s strategy of replacing incumbents with candidates who have stronger local influence.

 

With the BJP focusing on “winnability,” the selection of candidates such as Tarvinder Singh Marwah, a former Congress MLA who served during the Sheila Dikshit era, highlights the party’s approach of drawing from the opposition’s ranks.

 

Marwah will contest from Jangpura against AAP’s Manish Sisodia. Additionally, the nomination of BJP councillor Ravindra Singh Negi from Patparganj, once the seat of Manish Sisodia, further reflects the party’s effort to field strong contenders in strategically significant constituencies.

 

As the election campaign intensifies, the BJP has emphasised its commitment to returning to power in Delhi, where it has been out of office for nearly three decades.

 

Six of the eight sitting BJP MLAs, including Leader of the Opposition Vijender Gupta, have made it to the first list, reinforcing the party’s determination to retain its foothold in the capital.

 

With 41 out of the 70 Assembly seats still up for grabs, the BJP’s strategy of selecting candidates based on their local popularity and their potential to secure a win seems to be taking shape.

 

The party has already named candidates for six of the ten Assembly constituencies within the South Delhi Lok Sabha seat, as well as seats in other key constituencies such as East Delhi, New Delhi, and North West Delhi.

 

The BJP’s list comes as the AAP has already declared all 70 of its candidates, while the Congress has announced 48 names so far. In the 2020 Delhi Assembly elections, AAP emerged victorious with 62 seats, while the BJP secured just eight, and the Congress failed to win a single seat.

 

The BJP, however, is hoping to make a strong comeback in the 2025 elections with its new strategy of fielding prominent turncoats and local leaders who can challenge AAP’s dominance in the capital.