Delhi polls: His seat changed, Manish Sisodia says ‘doesn’t matter’ where he contests from

Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia on Tuesday said ‘it doesn’t matter’ where he contests Delhi assembly polls from, after the party changed his seat from Patparganj to Jangpura for the upcoming elections.

Sisodia, who is the three-term MLA from Patparganj, has been replaced as candidate by renowned educator Avadh Ojha, who joined the party recently.
He told PTI, “Patparganj and Jangpura are in Delhi. I received love from all of Delhi when I was the education minister and deputy chief minister. It doesn’t matter from where I contest the election.”
Sisodia added that as deputy CM, he worked ‘wholeheartedly’ for Jangpura.
“I oversaw construction of several schools here. When people of Jangpura elect me, I will work for entire Delhi,” he said.
In 2013 and 2015, Sisodia had registered emphatic wins from Patparganj. However, in 2020, he won by only 3,207 votes over his nearest rival, Ravinder Singh Negi of the BJP, the main opposition party to the ruling AAP in the national capital.
The Arvind Kejriwal-led party has also changed the seat of Rakhi Bidlan, the deputy speaker in the assembly. She will contest the Madipur constituency instead of her current Mangolpuri seat.
The BJP has attacked the AAP for changing seats of the two leaders.
Virendra Sachdeva, president, Delhi BJP, said, “Not only were former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and former minister Rakhi Bidlan forced to change their constituencies, but many sitting MLAs were denied tickets. Although Sisodia and Bidlan have received tickets, switching constituencies after three elections shows that they have lost their political ground in their previous areas.”
The assembly polls in Delhi are likely to be held in February.