BJP, Congress opt for lightweights against Kejriwal

There had been intense speculation the BJP could field Kumar Vishwas against Kejriwal

Sabharwal Yadav collage A collage of Romesh Sabharwal (left) and Sunil Yadav | Twitter handles

Belying expectation that the BJP and the Congress might want to turn the contest in the New Delhi constituency into a major talking point in the Assembly elections by fielding formidable candidates against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the two parties have instead opted for lesser-known debutants with antecedents in youth politics.

Contrary to speculation that it might field a high-profile name against Kejriwal, the BJP has fielded its state Yuva Morcha president Sunil Yadav from the constituency. Earlier, it was intensely speculated whether the BJP would have Kumar Vishwas, a former colleague-turned-foe of Kejriwal, as its candidate against the chief minister. The names of state BJP president Manoj Tiwari, New Delhi Lok Sabha MP Meenakshi Lekhi and East Delhi MP Gautam Gambhir had also done the rounds as the party's choice to take on Kejriwal.

Curiously, soon after Yadav's name was announced as the party's candidate from New Delhi, there was a buzz that he might be replaced by a better-known personality. However, the party soon put the speculation to rest, with Delhi BJP in-charge Shyam Jaju declaring that there will be no change in the party's candidature from the constituency.

The candidature of Yadav, who is an advocate and a social worker, however, prompted the ruling Aam Aadmi Party to claim that the BJP had surrendered even before the fight had begun. “Going by this list and BJP candidate against CM Kejriwal, it seems BJP has surrendered,” tweeted AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj.

The Congress, on the other hand, has fielded its former NSUI functionary Romesh Sabharwal from the constituency. Interestingly, Sabharwal had hours before his nomination tweeted, tagging party leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, that “agents of Kejriwal” in the Congress were cutting his ticket. “I gave my whole youth to the party. My seniority, sacrifice, loyalty, hard work, sincerity has no value. 40 years I gave I can't contest single election. Please give me justice,” read the tweet, which was later deleted.

Senior Delhi Congress leader and former MLA Rajesh Lilothia had volunteered to contest against Kejriwal in this election. Lilothia, who had unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha elections last year, was however, given the ticket from Mangolpuri constituency.

Kejriwal has won twice consecutively from the New Delhi seat—in 2013 and 2015. And in the first instance, he had turned the fight in the seat into a focal point of the elections by challenging the sitting MLA, then chief minister Sheila Dikshit, and went on to defeat her in a giant-killing feat.