Delhi elections: Congress fields Alka Lamba from Kalkaji against CM Atishi

Alka Lamba, the president of the All India Mahila Congress, is a former Aam Aadmi Party leader and an ex-legislator from Chandni Chowk

The Congress has nominated Alka Lamba to run against Delhi Chief Minister Atishi in the upcoming Assembly elections for the Kalkaji constituency, as announced by the party on Friday. Lamba, the president of the All India Mahila Congress, is a former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and an ex-legislator from Chandni Chowk.

 

“The Central Election Committee has approved the candidature of Alka Lamba as Congress candidate to contest forthcoming general election to Legislative Assembly of Delhi from 51-Kalkaji constituency,” the party announced in a press statement.

 

Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday responded to recent remarks by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who criticised the party by calling it an “AAPada for Delhi” during his campaign ahead of the elections.

 

Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj countered the statement, saying, “Such statements do not suit a PM. In the past 10 years, the central government has half of Delhi and we have the other half. We have worked to improve the sewage system, water supply, and electricity.”

 

The Prime Minister expressed discontent with the Delhi government’s refusal to adopt the Centre’s Ayushman Bharat Yojana, calling the AAP administration an “Aapda government.” He warned that Delhi’s situation might worsen if the current government continued its term.

 

“In the last 10 years, Delhi has been surrounded by an ‘Aapda’. By keeping Anna Hazare at the front, a few ‘kattar beimaan’ people have pushed Delhi towards ‘Aapda’. AAP aapda bankar Delhi par toot padi hai... AAP is equal to ‘Aapda’,” PM Modi remarked.

 

Earlier this month, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced two new initiatives — the Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana and the Sanjeevani Yojana — before the elections. However, the Women and Child Development (WCD) Department and the Health Department later issued advisories stating that these schemes were ‘non-existent’ and cautioned the public against sharing personal details.

 

The Delhi Assembly elections are expected to take place next month, in February.