Sibal: Will contest Chandni Chowk LS seat irrespective of alliance with AAP

NEW DELHI: Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal has announced on Friday saying he will "certainly contest" from Delhi's Chandni Chowk regardles of whether there is an alliance between his party and AAP. However, speaking to Millennium Post, Delhi Congress Working president Rajesh Lilothia admitted that the Lok Sabha candidate panel is ready to be sent to the Central Election Committee.

Delhi is set to go to poll on May 12 but Lilothia said that as far as an alliance with AAPis concerned, the state units are dead-set against it. "In the long run, it would have further marginalised Congress Party in the city electoral just like in UP and Bihar," he said.

According to sources in the party, two former ministers, Mangat Ram Singhal and Congress Working president Haroon Yusuf have also claimed to field themselves from Chandni Chowk.

Sibal had won twice from Chandni Chowk in 2004 and 2009 before losing to BJP leader Harsh Vardhan in 2014.

When asked about his opinion on the alliance in Delhi, Sibal said: "I don't know that is for the party to decide. There are two views within the party."

"I will certainly contest the Chandni Chowk seat, alliance or no alliance," the 70-year-old leader asserted. While other Congress leaders contradicted his claim that Sibal is already MP from Rajya Sabha, he must give an opprtunity to new face. Sibal, who has held various important portfolios as a Union minister under the UPA government, is currently a member of the Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh. He was elected to the Upper House in 2016. NCP chief leader Sharad Pawar is making efforts for an alliance between the Congress and the AAP. According to sources, the Congress leadership is also in talks with AAP leaders and is trying to convince Delhi Congress leaders for an alliance in the national Capital.