Delhi polls: 699 candidates in fray; highest from Arvind Kejriwal's New Delhi seat

(L-R) Congress candidate from New Delhi Sandeep Dikshit, AAP candidate Arvind Kejriwal and BJP's Parvesh Verma.

With 23 candidates trying their electoral luck this time in the upcoming Delhi polls, the New Delhi Assembly constituency has once again earned the distinction of being the most popular, which is the highest in the city. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Arvind Kejriwal is eyeing his fourth straight win from the high-profile constituency.

A total of 699 candidates are in the fray this time, just 27 more than in 2020, when 672 candidates were in the fray, according to the Delhi election office. Janakpuri has 16 candidates, which is the second-highest number, followed by 15 each in Rohtas Nagar, Karawal Nagar, and Laxmi Nagar. There are just five candidates each in Patel Nagar and Kasturba Nagar constituencies, which is the lowest.

The former Delhi CM is contesting the elections from the New Delhi seat against the sons of two former Delhi CMs - Congress' Sandeep Dikshit (son of Sheila Dikshit) and BJP's Parvesh Verma (son of Sahib Singh Verma).  According to a Times of India (TOI) report, 28 candidates were in the fray from the New Delhi constituency in the 2020 Assembly polls.

According to election officials, 1,522 nomination documents were received from 981 candidates during the week-long nomination process, which began on January 10 following the election notification and concluded on January 17. The documents were scrutinized on January 18, and the final date for withdrawing candidatures was January 20.

Of the total 70 assembly seats in Delhi, there are 38 where fewer than 10 candidates are in the fray. While Tilak Nagar, Mangolpuri, Tri Nagar, Greater Kailash, Gandhi Nagar, and Karol Bagh have six each, Chandni Chowk, Krishna Nagar, Trilokpuri, Delhi Cantonment, Rajendra Nagar, Narela, Bawana, Shakur Basti, Malviya Nagar, Deoli, and Palam have seven each.

While the AAP and Congress have fielded their candidates on all 70 seats, the BJP is contesting 68. As per a pre-poll seat-sharing arrangement, the saffron party has allowed Janata Dal (United) and Loktantrik Jan Shakti Party to field one candidate each. Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has fielded its candidates on 69 seats.

In 1993, when the Delhi Assembly was reconstituted, 1,316 candidates contested the polls. The number dropped to 815 in 1998 and increased slightly to 817 in 2003. In 2008, 875 candidates participated, with the number rising marginally to 880 in the 2013 Assembly elections. However, the figure declined to 673 in 2015.

All 70 constituencies in Delhi will vote in a single phase on February 5, with the results set to be declared on February 8.