With the Delhi Assembly elections scheduled for February 5, 2025, a total of 699 candidates are in the fray, including a record 96 women contestants. This marks a notable increase from the 76 women candidates who contested in the previous election held five years ago. Political parties are striving to attract women voters by fielding more female candidates this time around.
Among the three major political parties, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have fielded nine women candidates each, while the Congress has seven women nominees. All three parties have significantly increased their representation of women compared to the 2020 elections.
From the ruling AAP, Chief Minister Atishi leads the list of prominent women candidates. Other notable AAP contenders include Pooja Balyan, Pramila Tokas, Rakhi Bidlani, Dhanwanti Chandela, Bandana Kumar, and Sarita Singh. Among these, Pooja Balyan, the wife of MLA Naresh Balyan, is contesting from Uttam Nagar, marking her debut in politics. Naresh Balyan has recently made headlines due to his alleged connections with gangster Kapil Sangwan.
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The BJP’s prominent female candidates include Rekha Gupta, Poonam Sharma, Shikha Rai, and Priyanka Gautam, while the Congress’ key women nominees are Alka Lamba, Ariba Khan, Ragini Nayak, and Aruna Kumari.
During the week-long nomination period that began on January 10, a total of 981 candidates filed their papers. After scrutiny on January 18 and the subsequent deadline for withdrawal on January 20, the final count of candidates was confirmed at 699. The elections will be conducted on February 5, with the results slated for declaration on February 8.
This year’s polls highlight a growing emphasis on gender representation in Delhi’s political landscape, with parties actively working to increase the participation of women in governance. Observers believe this trend could significantly impact voter behavior and set a new benchmark for future elections.
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