Kejriwal to not contest LS elections from Varanasi, party to field another candidate

The Aam Aadmi Party Sunday said its convenor and Delhi Chief MinisterArvind Kejriwal will not be contesting from Varanasi in the coming Lok Sabha elections, but the party will field astrong candidate for the seat.

"Kejriwal will not contest the Lok Sabha polls, as hewants to give special focus to his state. The AAP will contest on all the Lok Sabha seats in Delhi, Punjab, Haryanaand Goa. The party will contest on some seats in UP, and final modalities will be worked out by February. Apartfrom Varanai, the party will contest from seats in eastern and western UP, where the organisation is strong,"AAP spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh told PTI on phone.

Singh said in Delhi his party is working on education, health, farmers, power and providingdrinking water. "If we foray into national politics, then our issues will be education for all, free education toeconomically weaker sections of the society, ending unemployment and implementing the recommendations ofthe Swaminathan Commission," Singh said.

On a recent statement made by Kejriwal to not vote for the Congress in the coming LokSabha elections, Singh said, "Kejriwal was quoted out of context. He had said that in a meeting in the nationalcapital that if you want to defeat the BJP, then do not waste your vote by casting it in favour of the Congress. Hisstatement was in the context of Delhi, from where the AAP is contesting on all the seats.