Kejriwal hints at fielding new faces in Delhi Assembly poll

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Monday hinted that the party is looking to replace many of its sitting MLAs in the upcoming Assembly election and sought to address the potential fallout by telling party workers to be loyal to him, not to any particular MLA or councillor.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Monday hinted that the party is looking to replace many of its sitting MLAs in the upcoming Assembly election and sought to address the potential fallout by telling party workers to be loyal to him, not to any particular MLA or councillor.

“Kejriwal is not going to give tickets to any of his relatives. Will you work for anyone to whom the ticket is given? You won’t ask why was the ticket not given to a particular person, right?” Mr. Kejriwal said, addressing a gathering of party workers in Kirari.

The AAP chief said that tickets to fight the election, which is due in February next year, will be distributed after a lot of consideration and based on the party’s surveys.

Hitting out at the AAP chief, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said with the poll drawing closer, Mr. Kejriwal’s “political desperation” is becoming increasingly evident. “Today, by hinting at changing candidates, he has given silent approval to the accusations of corruption, extortion, coercion, and anarchy against his MLAs,” he said.

The party chief told workers that while the city residents might have issues with the AAP government, the workers should remind them about the benefits provided by the government. The former Chief Minister added that the workers must resolve to reach every household and connect with each family. Mr. Kejriwal also underscored the importance of the mandal (division) in-charges and said that they must take the party’s message to the people across the Capital on his behalf.