Delhi Elections 2025 Key Candidate List: The stage is set for a fierce three-way battle in the upcoming Delhi Assembly Elections 2025 on February 5, with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), BJP, and Congress all vying for power. As AAP aims to secure a third consecutive term in the national capital, both BJP and Congress are pulling out all the stops to claim their stake in the capital’s political landscape. As the election date draws closer, several prominent figures are taking center stage in this intense political contest.
With key contenders from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), BJP, and Congress in the race, each party is rallying behind its strongest candidates. These individuals will play a crucial role in shaping the outcome of the Delhi Elections 2025. From seasoned leaders to emerging faces, these candidates are set to make a significant impact as they vie for a seat in the 70-member Delhi Assembly. Here’s a closer look at the 10 key candidates leading the charge in this high-stakes race:
Arvind Kejriwal
AAP National Convenor Kejriwal has consistently chosen the New Delhi constituency for the last three assembly elections. In 2013, Kejriwal emerged victorious, defeating Sheila Dikshit, the then Chief Minister of Delhi, who had held the New Delhi seat for three consecutive terms from 1998 to 2013. This time, Kejriwal is facing BJP’s Parvesh Verma and Congress’ Sandeep Dikshit.
Sandeep Dikshit
Dikshit is the son of the late former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit who is set to contest from the New Delhi constituency against AAP’s Arvind Kejriwal and BJP’s Parvesh Verma. A seasoned politician, Dikshit has served two terms as a Member of Parliament and has previously held the role of Congress’ national spokesperson.
Ramesh Bhiduri
The BJP has nominated Ramesh Bidhuri to contest against Delhi CM Atishi from the Kalkaji constituency in the upcoming Delhi Elections 2025. A few days earlier, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal had suggested that Ramesh Bidhuri was the BJP’s potential chief ministerial candidate for Delhi. But Bidhuri had dismissed the claim as unfounded. He described the statement as misleading and clarified that he had no aspirations for the position.
Parvesh Verma
The BJP has fielded Parvesh Verma to challenge AAP leader and former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, as well as Congress candidate Sandeep Dikshit, in the New Delhi constituency. A two-term Member of Parliament, Verma is a key Jat leader in Delhi politics. He is the son of former Delhi Chief Minister Sahib Singh Verma and has had longstanding ties with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) since his early years.
Manish Sisodia
Manish Sisodia, a key AAP leader and close ally of Arvind Kejriwal, is contesting from Jangpura. The BJP has fielded Tarvinder Singh Marwah, while Congress has nominated Farhad Suri for the seat. Sisodia, a founding member of AAP, faced arrest by the CBI in February 2023 over alleged corruption linked to the Delhi Excise Policy. After spending over a year in custody, he was granted bail by the Supreme Court in August 2024. The Jangpura constituency is set to witness a high-stakes battle among these prominent candidates.
Satyendra Jain
Jain is a senior AAP leader and has held the Shakur Basti seat for three consecutive assembly terms. He is now seeking re-election. This time, he faces Congress candidate Satish Luthra in a closely watched contest. Jain secured a commanding victory in the 2020 elections, with over 50% of the vote share. However, his political journey faced challenges last year when he was embroiled in a money laundering case. A Delhi court later granted him bail, citing prolonged incarceration and delays in the trial. The Shakur Basti constituency is poised for another significant electoral showdown.
Atishi
Delhi Chief Minister Atishi is set to contest from Kalkaji in the upcoming elections, facing BJP’s Ramesh Bidhuri and Congress’ Alka Lamba. In the 2020 assembly elections, Atishi secured a decisive victory over BJP candidate Dharambir. Recently, Bidhuri stirred controversy with remarks about Atishi’s decision to drop her surname ‘Marlena.’ He commented on the change, saying, “She has changed her father. She was Marlena earlier, but has become Singh now.” These remarks have drawn criticism, adding to the intensity of the electoral battle in Kalkaji.
Amanatullah Khan
Amanatullah Khan will once again represent AAP in the Okhla constituency, marking his third consecutive contest from this seat. He previously defeated BJP’s Braham Singh in both the 2015 and 2020 elections. In 2022, Khan was granted bail by a Delhi court in a money laundering case linked to alleged recruitment irregularities in the Delhi Waqf Board during his tenure as chairman.
Alka Lamba
Congress has fielded Alka Lamba from the Kalkaji constituency, where she will challenge AAP leader and Chief Minister Atishi. Lamba, currently the chief of the All India Mahila Congress, previously won the Chandni Chowk seat in 2015 as an AAP candidate. She switched to Congress in September 2019. She has previously held the position of Delhi University president, NSUI president and has also been a MLA from Chandni Chowk.
Tarvinder Singh Marwah
The BJP has nominated Tarvinder Singh Marwah to contest the Jangpura constituency, where he will face AAP leader Manish Sisodia. In the previous two assembly elections, AAP secured victory in Jangpura, with Praveen Kumar winning the seat in both 2015 and 2020.
Somnath Bharti
The AAP candidate, will once again contest from the Malviya Nagar constituency, where he has secured victories in the last three assembly elections with significant leads. Bharti triumphed in both the 2015 and 2020 elections, garnering over 50% of the vote share. This time, he will face competition from BJP’s Satish Upadhyay and Congress’ Jitendra Kumar Kochar.