BJP holds CEC meet to decide candidates for Delhi elections

New Delhi: The Central Election Committee of the BJP met in the national capital to decide party candidates for Delhi elections.

The meeting at the party headquarters was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari and senior leaders including BJP working president JP Nadda.

The saffron party which has been out of power in Delhi for the last 20 years is facing a tough challenge from Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the forthcoming polls.

The ruling AAP has already declared its candidates for 70-member Delhi assembly and the Congress is also expected to make the announcement on Friday.

Meanwhile, the Congress is eyeing a comeback on Delhi Assembly seats with considerable Muslim voters by riding on the protest wave, reported IANS.

With Shaheen Bagh becoming an epicentre of anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests, politicians including Manishankar Aiyar and Shashi Tharoor have already paid a visit to the area to show solidarity with the protesters who have been protesting at the site since December 15.

However, Congress has categorically rejected the notion that it is using the protests against the CAA for political dividends.

Five out of the 70 Assembly seats in Delhi are considered ‘Muslim seats’ and Okhla, Seelampur, Matia Mahal, Ballimaran, Mustafabad and Chandni Chowk seats – which once used to be a Congress stronghold, is now represented by the AAP.

However, Congress is finding it hard to allocate tickets as there are many claimants to the seats in the national capital.

The process of nominations began on Tuesday and will end on January 21. Polling will take place on February 8 and counting of votes will take place on February 11.