Delhi polls: AAP, Cong's first list of candidates likely before Jan 14, BJP's by Jan 18

The Delhi Assembly election is just a few weeks away and the main contenders -- the AAP, BJP and Congress -- are busy vetting their prospective candidates and expected to start naming their candidates later this week.

The ruling party is likely to come up with its first list of candidates before January 14 and the saffron party by January 18. The Congress' first list of nominees too is expected before January 14.

The incumbent Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which tasted stupendous success winning 67 of the 70 Assembly seats in 2015, is likely to repeat most of the candidates who contested last time.

Sources, however, said some of AAP's 2019 Lok Sabha candidates, including party spokespersons Atishi and Raghav Chadha, might be given tickets in the upcoming polls.

"The AAP will use a 3C yardstick of (no)corruption, (no)criminal record and (good)character as benchmarks for choosing candidates for the upcoming polls," senior party leader Sanjay Singh said.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is likely to fight from the New Delhi Assembly seat again, sources said while refuting reports that the AAP national convenor would contest from two seats in the upcoming polls.

According to a senior AAP leader, the party is likely to come up with its first list of candidates before January 14.

The BJP, meanwhile, is shortlisting names of probable candidates.

The party's election committee in its meeting on Saturday shortlisted around 1,400 names as probables, a senior party leader said, adding, "The panel met again on Sunday and brought down the names of probables to 3-4 on each seat."