Delhi Election: BJP To Finalise Remaining 41 Candidates, Manifesto To Be Released Soon

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), appearing to face challenges in Delhi ahead of the assembly elections, is expected to announce its remaining 41 candidates this weekend. Additionally, the party is yet to release its manifesto for the polls.

A senior Delhi BJP leader informed PTI that the manifesto for the Delhi elections is nearly finalised and will soon be sent for approval to the national leadership. It is anticipated to be made public in the coming days.

So far, the BJP has announced candidates for 29 of the 70 assembly seats. Prominent names include Parvesh Singh Verma (New Delhi), Kailash Gahlot (Bijwasan), Satish Upadhyay (Malviya Nagar), and Arvinder Singh Lovely (Gandhi Nagar).

BJP president JP Nadda is scheduled to assess the party's election preparations on Thursday. He will meet with the state election committee and other poll-related panels.

"A meeting will be held with the election committee and other panels to review campaign progress and gather grassroots feedback," a senior Delhi BJP official stated.

The BJP, seeking to regain power in Delhi after over 25 years, faces hurdles due to a lack of compelling local leadership, which has contributed to internal factionalism.

Meanwhile, rivals such as the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress have made enticing promises, including monthly allowances for women. Congress has also pledged a ₹25 lakh health insurance scheme if elected to power in the capital.

The BJP has struggled to counter Arvind Kejriwal's assertive campaign tactics, which provide AAP with a competitive advantage.

However, there are some positive signs for the BJP, as it plans to replicate the strategies that secured victories in Haryana and Maharashtra. Support from various chief ministers and the backing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) have also contributed to strengthening the party's base.

Elections for the 70-member Delhi Assembly will take place on February 5, with vote counting scheduled for February 8.