Gambhir makes electoral debut, Dikshit in Cong list

The battle lines are finally being drawn in Delhi with Congress finalising its seven candidates for the Lok Sabha seats and BJP taking a bit time on deciding its nominee for one of the seats.

Veteran Congress leader Sheila Dikshit has entered the fray despite here initial reluctance while cricketer Gautam Gambhir make an electoral debut on a BJP ticket. Boxing star Vijender Singh is another sportsman to test his electoral abilities in a Congress ticket.

Congress on Monday announced six candidates, including former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit from North-West Delhi, while BJP renominated Meenakshi Lekhi from New Delhi and introduced Gambhir in East Delhi.

BJP is yet to announce its nominee for North-West Delhi where sitting MP Udit Raj is up in arms against the party for not announcing his name till now. BJP had announced four candidates on Sunday.

Udit Raj publicly said that his name should have been in the first list and that he would take a decision on his future course of action after consulting his supporters if he is denied seat. There is speculation that BJP may field singer Hansraj Hans in this seat.

Dikshit, also the Delhi Congress chief, has been fielded from North-East Delhi though she was speculated to have sought nomination from Chandni Chowk where now the party has fielded former MP and ex-DPCC chief J P Aggarwal.

Though she was not keen to contest initially, sources said Congress president Rahul Gandhi was insistent that she contest from East Delhi or some other seat. Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal was also keen to fight from Chandni Chowk

Another former Delhi Congress chiefs Ajay Maken and Arvind Singh Lovely will be fighting from New Delhi and East Delhi respectively. From West Delhi seat, former MP Mahabal Mishra will fight.

From the reserved North-West Delhi seat, Congress has chosen its Delhi working president Rajesh Lilothia, who pipped former Delhi Minister Rajkumar Chouhan.

AAP, which was in negotiations with Congress for an alliance, has declared all the seven candidates earlier. BJP on Sunday announced candidature of sitting MPs in four seats -- Harsh Vardhan (Chandni Chowk), Manoj Tiwari (North East Delhi), Pavesh Verma (West Delhi) and Ramesh Bidhuri (South Delhi).