Delhi polls: Congress pits Kiran Walia against Kejriwal

The Congress on Friday pitted former Delhi minister Kiran Walia against Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal from the prestigious New Delhi constituency in February 7 assembly polls.

The party released its fourth list of candidates for Delhi assembly elections featuring six candidates.

Besides Walia, it announced the names of Raj Kumar Maggo, Dhuli Chand Lohia, Vishan Swaroop Agarwal, Zakir Khan and Satanpal Dayma who will fight from Moti Nagar, Tilak Nagar, Sangam Vihar, Babarpur and Karawal Nagar respectively.

The New Delhi seat was held by Sheila Dikshit for three terms before she suffered a shock defeat against Kejriwal in 2013 elections. Walia had been a minister in her government but faced defeat in the previous election. She lost to AAP’s Somnath Bharti in the Malviya Nagar constituency. She had won the seat in 1999, 2003 and 2008.

The Congress had released a list of 15 candidates who included President Pranab Mukherjee's daughter Sharmishtha who will make her electoral debut in the city.

Image: Former Delhi minister Kiran Walia