The first-phase candidates for the 2025 Delhi Vidhan Sabha Election have been formally declared by the Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar). The Parliamentary Board of the party gave their assent before the declaration was made.

Eleven candidates will represent the party in the first round of the election, according to Brijmohan Shrivastav, the National General Secretary and Chief National Spokesperson. As a reflection of the party’s efforts to provide robust representation in the capital, these candidates will run in a variety of Delhi seats.

In the statement, Shrivastav underlined that these candidates embody the NCP’s basic principles. “We believe that these candidates will best represent our party’s vision and commitment to the city’s future,” Shrivastav said.

Among the leading contenders are Narender Tanwar from Chhatarpur, Khalid Ur Rehman from Chandni Chowk, Ratan Tyagi from Burari, and Shri Mulayam Singh from Badli. Among others, Imran Saifi and Qamar Ahmad will run for the NCP in Okhla and Sangam Vihar, respectively.

Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has instructed the Commissioner of Police (CP) to conduct an instant inspection of “private” vehicles arriving from Punjab at the national capital’s border in advance of the 2025 Delhi assembly elections.

This follows claims made by Congressman Sandeep Dikshit that crores of rupees in cash were being shipped from Punjab to Delhi in preparation for the next assembly elections. Dikshit, who is running for a Congress seat from the assembly district of New Delhi, said that large sums of money were being transferred via private cars escorted by Punjab police.

Additionally, Dikshit asked the state governments of Haryana and Rajasthan, as well as the Director General of Police (DGP) in Punjab, to maintain vigilance and keep an eye on the movement of these trucks.

According to the Delhi LG, it is impossible to completely rule out the potential that such “illegal” funds may be utilized to sway voters before the polls. Such measures might jeopardize free and fair elections, he argued.

“The lieutenant governor has said that the Delhi Legislative Assembly elections are probably going to take place soon, and it is not impossible that such illicit funds might be used to sway Delhi voters in the subsequent poll.

The Principle Secretary’s letter to the Delhi LG stated, “The Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor has also noted that the use of money power in elections is not only an offense under sections 170 & 171 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and section 123 of the Representation of People Act, 1951, but also an obstacle to free and fair elections.”