1 Nov :The BJP on Saturday announced the first list of 53 candidates for Delhi assembly elections retaining all 19 sitting MLAs besides leaving four seats to its ally Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD).
Chief Ministerial candidate VK Malhotra will contest from upmarket Greater Kailash while Saket MLA Vijay Jolly will take on the Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit who is contesting from New Delhi assembly seat.
Party president Harsh Vardhan has been fielded from his stronghold Krishna Nagar while Opposition Leader in Delhi Assembly Jagdish Mukhi will be contesting from his seat Janakpuri for the fourth time.
The saffron party has given tickets to two women in the first list — former union minister Anita Arya from Patel Nagar and Kalpna Jain from Gandhi Nagar.
Former Delhi Ministers Harcharan Balli from Hari Nagar, SP Ratawal from Karol Bagh while Sushil Chaudhary will contest from Kasturba Nagar.
Earlier in the day due to differences in BJP Delhi unit over selection of candidates, the party leaders remained undecided over selecting candidates for the remaining 13 seats.
The list for remaining seats is likely to be declared on Sunday.
Sharp differences emerged on the choice of candidates on these seats with state election management committee members Vijay Goel and O P Kohli walking out from the meet.
The SAD will contest from Adarsh Nagar, Jangpura, Shahdara and Rajouri Garden.
"We could not finalise candidates for nine seats due to differences over the choice of nominees. There are so many claimants for seats. In some seats, we are waiting for Congress to announce their candidates," Delhi BJP chief Harsh Vardhan said.