Backed by Anna Hazare, Mamata Banerjee to try luck in all seats in Delhi

NEW DELHI: Buoyed by Anna Hazare's support, Mamata Banerjee will field candidates in all the seven constituencies of Delhi during the upcoming Lok Sabha elections with the hope of opening the party's account here.

In the process, Hazare will be indirectly taking on his estranged prodigy Arvind Kejriwal, whose Aam Aadmi Party bagged 27 out of 70 seats in the Assembly polls held in December last.

The list of Trinamool Congress candidates would be announced jointly by Banerjee and Hazare at 'jantantra' rally at the Ramlila ground here on March 12, Trinamool's Rajya Sabha member Shukhendu Sekhar Roy said here today.

The candidates will be selected together by Banerjee and Hazare from around 300 aspirants, he said.

"The party has adopted the policy of total transparency in terms of candidates' selection with affirmation on an affidavit which seeks approval of 17-point agenda of Anna Hazare's model of responsive governance from the deserving candidates," he said.

"If the candidates fail to abide by this agenda, they will automatically get disqualified," Roy added.

Sources said Trinamool Congress would field only the "sons of the soil", implying those who are originally from Delhi. They are likely to be from varied professions like doctor and lawyer.

The press conference was marked by the presence of over hundred people wearing "Gandhi" caps with "Main Anna Hoon" written on them.

The support of Hazare, who has mass appeal, would provide Banerjee a platform to try her luck in the national capital amidst her ambition of becoming the Prime Minister.