Senior AAP leader and spokesperson Shazia Ilmi (File photo)
After announcing Kumar Vishwas's candidature against Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, there is a buzz that the party might pitch Shazia Ilmi against Congress president Sonia Gandhi in the upcoming general elections.
However, the party did not confirm the report. "We are yet to finalise our candidates," party spokesperson Dilip Pandey said.
Ms Ilmi, member of AAP's National Executive Committee, had unsuccessfully contested in assembly elections last year from Delhi's RK Puram constituency and lost by a narrow margin. It is learnt that she had initially expressed interest to contest either from South Delhi or from Farukkhabad against Union Minister Salman Khurshid.
Of the two, the party has already declared candidature of Lucknow scribe Mukul Tripathi against Mr Khurshid.
Sources said that AAP wants to field a known name who can take on Sonia Gandhi in the Congress stronghold of Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh. "In Delhi, we don't require a name as we already have supporters here. However, when we are taking on a strong candidate like Sonia Gandhi, we do require a known name," a party source said.
The party is also looking to fight against BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi too, with speculations that AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal himself might contest against him if he contests from anywhere outside Gujarat.
"Let him (Modi) declare from where is he contesting and then we will comment on it," party leader Sanjay Singh said.
In the first list of 20 candidates for Lok Sabha polls released by AAP on Sunday, it has decided to contest against heavy-weights across the political spectrum.