Delhi polls: Congress fields Alka Lamba against CM Atishi
What's the story
The Congress party has declared Alka Lamba as its candidate for the Kalkaji seat in the upcoming Delhi assembly elections. Lamba will be up against Chief Minister Atishi, who currently holds the Kalkaji constituency. The elections are likely to be held in February 2025, as the current assembly's term concludes on February 23, 2025.
Candidate profile
Who is Alka Lamba?
Lamba is the president of the All India Mahila Congress and a former legislator from the Chandni Chowk seat. She was once a member of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) but returned to the Congress in 2019, citing disrespect within the AAP as her reason for leaving. Her political career includes roles such as President of the Delhi University Students's Union and national President of the National Students's Union of India.
Election background
Atishi's political journey and Kalkaji's voter base
Atishi took over as chief minister in September following Arvind Kejriwal's resignation. She has been a prominent face in the AAP's leadership and has been the representative of Kalkaji, an AAP bastion, since 2015. The constituency has a mixed voter base, including OBC, Dalit, Muslim, Brahmin, Punjabi, and Baniya communities. In another key contest, Congress has pitted Sandeep Dikshit against Kejriwal from the New Delhi seat. Dikshit is a former Lok Sabha member and son of three-time CM Sheila Dikshit.