Congress has fielded Alka Lamba against Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi from the Kalkaji seat for the upcoming elections scheduled to be held in February 2025.
"The Central Election Committee has approved the candidature of Alka Lamba as Congress candidate to contest forthcoming general election to Legislative Assembly of Delhi from 51- Kalkaji constituency," said Congress in a release.
Thanking the Congress party for nominating her, Lamba said her fight is against the hazardous air, polluted Yamuna and crime in Delhi.
"I thank the party for this opportunity. I am going to contest the Vidhan Sabha elections for the 4th time ... First, it should be decided if she is a CM or a temporary CM. Former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal called her a temporary CM. He has insulted the constitutional post and a woman sitting on that post ... My fight is against the hazardous air, polluted Yamuna and crime in Delhi," she said.
The Kalkaji constituency is considered a stronghold of the Arvind Kejriwal-led party. Atishi, who took over as Delhi CM in September 2024 following the AAP supremo's resignation, has been representing the Kalkaji seat since 2015.
At 19, Alka Lamba joined National Students' Union of India (NSUI) in 1994. The following year she won the election to the Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU).
A former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader, Lamba is currently the president of All India Mahila Congress. In 2014, she quit the Congress and joined AAP but returned to the grand old party in 2019. Lamba was elected from Chandni Chowk on an AAP ticket in 2015.
Lamba had first hit a rough patch with the AAP over its decision to pass a resolution to revoke Rajiv Gandhi's Bharat Ratna. She had raised objections to the party's resolution.
In December 2018, she said in a tweet that AAP had asked her to support the resolution, which she refused. Lamba had added that she was ready to face any punishment for her actions.
The Congress has already released two lists, declaring a total of 47 candidates for the elections to the 70-member Assembly. The AAP has released its list of all the candidates for the polls.
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