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In a significant turn of events ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, former Delhi minister Raaj Kumar Anand has made a strategic move by joining the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). Anand, who previously held key portfolios including social welfare in the AAP-led Delhi government, has announced his candidacy for the New Delhi Lok Sabha constituency under the BSP banner.
At a press conference following his affiliation with BSP, Anand paid homage to Baba Saheb Ambedkar, signaling his return to what he considers his political home. He declared his intention to file his nomination for the New Delhi parliamentary seat, with Monday marking the deadline for nominations ahead of the sixth phase of Lok Sabha elections scheduled for May 25.
Anand’s departure from the ruling AAP comes amidst allegations of inadequate representation of Dalits within the party’s leadership. He voiced discontent over the absence of Dalit members in the party’s upper echelons and lamented the purported lack of respect afforded to Dalit MLAs, ministers, and councillors within the AAP.
With Anand’s entry into the electoral fray, the battle for the prestigious New Delhi Lok Sabha seat gains newfound intrigue. The BJP has nominated Bansuri Swaraj, daughter of the late Sushma Swaraj, while the Aam Aadmi Party has put forth Somnath Bharti as their candidate. Both Swaraj and Bharti have already submitted their nominations for the constituency.
Delhi, with its seven Lok Sabha seats, is poised for a crucial electoral showdown. In the 2019 elections, the BJP swept all seats, relegating the Congress and AAP to zero seats. As the electoral contest unfolds on May 25, all eyes will be on the capital’s political landscape, with results slated for announcement on June 4.
