Parties welcome turncoats with open arms in poll-bound Delhi
14 Jan 2015 6:23 AM IST
The ensuing Delhi assembly elections would be remembered for party hoppers in the history of city politics as besides six former MLAs and six sitting councillors, several senior leaders switched their political loyalties. Interestingly, all the political parties — AAP, Congress and BJP, served red carpet welcomes to these party hoppers and are preferring them over loyal party members in awarding tickets.
In this rush of changing loyalties, the BJP has got maximum four former MLAs and two sitting councillors while AAP is leading in fielding six ‘turncoats’ including two former BJP MLAs and a sitting councillor.
Senior BJP leader and former MLA Ram Niwas Goel is AAP candidate from Shahdara while former BJP MLA and former deputy speaker Fateh Singh was given ticket from Gokulpuri within a week of his joining AAP. The newbie party has also awarded ticket to Kartar Singh Tanwar, a second time BJP councillor from Bhati Mines from Chattarpur assembly segment. Interestingly, Tanwar is the cousin of former BJP MLA Brahma Singh Tanwar. Sahi Ram, a BSP sitting councillor is AAP candidate from Tughlakabad while Promila Tokas is AAP candidate from R K Puram.
Tokas, an independent councillor, was supporting BJP since the past three Mayorial elections in SDMC but switched to AAP recently.
Another two-time former BJP councillor Raghubar Shokeen is AAP candidate from Nangloi Jat. Besides senior BJP leaders Ved Prakash and Naresh Balyan are AAP candidates from Uttam Nagar and Bawana respectively.
In its first list of 24 candidates, the Congress has awarded ticket to ex-MLA from Matia Mahal Shoaib Iqbal who joined the party along with his councillor son Alley Iqbal and one more councillor.
Shoaib Iqbal, MLA of Matia Mahal, is known of his changing loyalties as he is famous for switching among ‘secular’ parties. According to sources, Congress has decided to field former independent MLA Rambir Shaukin or his councillor wife from Reeta Shaukin from Mundka. Rambir Shaukin was to join BJP but due to protests from West Delhi MP Pravesh Verma he joined Congress.
However, BJP is yet to announce its list but according to sources it will award tickets to former AAP leaders M S Dhir from Jangpura and Ashok Kumar from Ambedkar Nagar besides A K Singh Lovely from Deoli as the party doesn’t have strong candidates from those seats. The BJP is also looking for a strong candidate to contest against AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal from New Delhi seat.
So far, former AAP leader Ashwani Kumar is considered to be given a ticket from New Delhi. The party is also trying to convince former AAP leader Shazia Ilmi. Earlier, former Congress MLA from Shakur Bast S C Vats and councillor Jyoti Nitin Agarwal had joined BJP.
In this rush of changing loyalties, the BJP has got maximum four former MLAs and two sitting councillors while AAP is leading in fielding six ‘turncoats’ including two former BJP MLAs and a sitting councillor.
Senior BJP leader and former MLA Ram Niwas Goel is AAP candidate from Shahdara while former BJP MLA and former deputy speaker Fateh Singh was given ticket from Gokulpuri within a week of his joining AAP. The newbie party has also awarded ticket to Kartar Singh Tanwar, a second time BJP councillor from Bhati Mines from Chattarpur assembly segment. Interestingly, Tanwar is the cousin of former BJP MLA Brahma Singh Tanwar. Sahi Ram, a BSP sitting councillor is AAP candidate from Tughlakabad while Promila Tokas is AAP candidate from R K Puram.
Tokas, an independent councillor, was supporting BJP since the past three Mayorial elections in SDMC but switched to AAP recently.
Another two-time former BJP councillor Raghubar Shokeen is AAP candidate from Nangloi Jat. Besides senior BJP leaders Ved Prakash and Naresh Balyan are AAP candidates from Uttam Nagar and Bawana respectively.
In its first list of 24 candidates, the Congress has awarded ticket to ex-MLA from Matia Mahal Shoaib Iqbal who joined the party along with his councillor son Alley Iqbal and one more councillor.
Shoaib Iqbal, MLA of Matia Mahal, is known of his changing loyalties as he is famous for switching among ‘secular’ parties. According to sources, Congress has decided to field former independent MLA Rambir Shaukin or his councillor wife from Reeta Shaukin from Mundka. Rambir Shaukin was to join BJP but due to protests from West Delhi MP Pravesh Verma he joined Congress.
However, BJP is yet to announce its list but according to sources it will award tickets to former AAP leaders M S Dhir from Jangpura and Ashok Kumar from Ambedkar Nagar besides A K Singh Lovely from Deoli as the party doesn’t have strong candidates from those seats. The BJP is also looking for a strong candidate to contest against AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal from New Delhi seat.
So far, former AAP leader Ashwani Kumar is considered to be given a ticket from New Delhi. The party is also trying to convince former AAP leader Shazia Ilmi. Earlier, former Congress MLA from Shakur Bast S C Vats and councillor Jyoti Nitin Agarwal had joined BJP.
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