Leaders who switched sides before polls may decide who comes to power in Delhi

Delhi Assembly elections see prominent leaders switching sides, creating uncertainty and challenges for candidates in the electoral battle.

The performance of party-hoppers will count this time in government formation in Delhi as the three major players in the Assembly polls — AAP, BJP and Congress — have fielded around 20 foe-turned-friends in the electoral battle.

Also Read | Understanding the Tenth Schedule | Explained

However, it won't be a smooth sailing for these candidates who are now trying to prove themselves in a new setup that has thrown at them multiple challenges including the unease among workers and leaders of their adopted parties.

With elections close by, several prominent leaders of the AAP, Congress and BJP switched sides, seeking to redirect — and in some cases resurrect — their political careers.

Amid uncertainty over getting tickets for the Assembly polls, around half a dozen BJP leaders crossed over to the AAP which promptly fielded them from different constituencies. These leaders had contested Assembly polls as BJP candidates in 2020.

One of them is Pravesh Ratan whom the AAP has fielded from the Patel Nagar (SC) seat against former Minister and BJP candidate Raaj Kumar Anand.

In 2020 also, they were rivals, but from different parties — Anand from AAP and Ratan from BJP.