Maharashtra AAP to release first list of LS candidates by January 20

MUMBAI: Aam Aadmi Party ( AAP) will put up "strong" candidates against NCP leaders in Maharashtra and will defeat them, the party leader Mayank Gandhi said here today.

Gandhi told reporters that AAP got support in Delhi as it deviated from traditional politics of caste, religion and region and focused on issues concerning the common people.

He said the first list of 20 candidates of APP for Maharashtra for upcoming Lok Sabha elections will be declared by January 20.

"Our first list would be out by January 20..We would be announcing 20 candidates in the first list," said Gandhi, the member of AAP's national executive.

Gandhi said the AAP has "strong" candidates and nominees for rest of the constituencies would be announced in days to come.

He, however, did not specify the exact seats the AAP will be contesting in the state which sends 48 members on Lok Sabha.

Taking a dig at NCP president and Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar's statement that he would not contest Lok Sabha polls and may take Rajya Sabha route, Gandhi said, "It is good he is not contesting, otherwise his fate would have been like Sheila Dixit (former chief minister of Delhi).....We had in fact finalised a very strong candidate for him (Pawar), be it Baramati or Madha or any other place".

While Pawar represents Madha Lok Sabha seat, his daughter Supriya Sule is the MP from the family pocket-borough of Baramati.

Gandhi said the nation had high expectations from AAP post Delhi elections.

"The nation has very high expectation from AAP and this is the major challenge for us. Professionals are quitting their salaried jobs to join us," he added.