Thu Nov 21 12:37:13 UTC 2024: ## AAP Courts Congress Defectors in Bid for Third Delhi Victory
**New Delhi:** The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is actively recruiting candidates from the Congress party ahead of the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections, sources revealed to NDTV. This strategy aims to hinder the Congress’s resurgence in the capital, despite a national-level alliance between the two parties within the INDIA bloc.
The AAP’s aggressive recruitment drive is evident in its first list of 11 candidates, six of whom are defectors from the Congress and BJP. This includes replacing three sitting AAP MLAs with newcomers from rival parties. The party is also conducting surveys across all 70 Delhi constituencies to identify potential candidates, including fresh faces from both the Congress and BJP.
AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, recently released on bail in connection with the alleged liquor policy scam, will personally oversee the re-election campaign. He has declared the 2025 elections a “dharamyudh” (battle for justice), promising to waive inflated electricity and water bills.
However, the AAP faces significant challenges. The BJP has launched a series of protests, including a recent “Sheeshmahal” demonstration targeting the renovation cost of Kejriwal’s bungalow, and continues to attack the party over issues such as air quality, infrastructure, Yamuna pollution, and the liquor scam. The Congress has also leveled criticism against the AAP. Despite these challenges, the AAP is determined to secure a third consecutive term in the Delhi Assembly.
First Piper 