New Delhi:Delhi chief minister Atishi could not file her nomination from the Kalkaji Assembly constituency on Monday as announced earlier by the AAP due to a delay in her schedule, including a roadshow. Now, she will file her nomination papers Tuesday.
Accompanied by senior party leader Manish Sisodia, Ms Atishi held a roadshow after paying obeisance at a gurdwara in Giri Nagar but could not reach the district election officer’s office before the 3 pm deadline. Assembly poll nominations can be filed every day until 3 pm.
She then proceeded to the Election Commission office to join AAP leaders, including party supremo Arvind Kejriwal, for a meeting with officials at 3 pm seeking the transfer of party leader Awadh Ojha's name from the voter rolls in Greater Noida to Delhi, enabling him to file his nomination for the Patparganj constituency.
After getting the poll panel’s approval on Mr Ojha’s application for transfer, Mr Kejriwal said: “The good news is that Awadh Ojha’s vote will be shifted and the commission has issued the order to transfer his vote, and he will be able to file the nomination.”
On Sunday, the party had announced that the chief minister along with Mr Sisodia will lead a rally in Kalkaji constituency before filing her nomination. The Delhi Assembly election will be held on February 5, with the results declared on February 8.
Before starting her rally, Ms Atishi, along with party leaders, visited Gurdwara Shri Guru Gobind Sahib in Giri Nagar. Earlier in the day, she offered prayers at the Kalkaji Temple, dedicated to Ma Kali, seeking blessings for her campaign.
“Before filing my nomination today, I came to seek the blessings of Ma Kali at the Kalkaji Temple. I believe Ma Kalka's blessings will always remain with me, the Aam Aadmi Party, and the people of the Kalkaji constituency,” she told reporters.
Ms Atishi said: “I have worked tirelessly in my constituency for the last five years. The people of Kalkaji are my family, they see me as their daughter and their sister. I am not just a representative… I am a part of their lives."
Taking a jibe at the BJP, she accused the party of being anti-poor. She said the BJP is a ‘jhuggi virodhi’ and ‘gareeb virodhi’ party and added that the AAP was committed to uplifting the marginalised communities.
Ms Atishi is facing a triangular contest in the constituency from the BJP’s Ramesh Singh Bidhuri, a seasoned politician, and the Congress’ Alka Lamba.
Mr Bidhuri, a former MP from South Delhi and a three-time MLA from Tughlakabad, is political heavyweight, winning Assembly elections in 2003, 2008, and 2013.
Ms Lamba, who rose from students’ union politics. is now the national president of the Mahila Congress.
Ms Lamba, who was with the Congress from 1994 to 2014 before briefly joining the Aam Aadmi Party, has now returned to her former party, trying her luck in this high-stakes election.
