Congress renominates five Delhi MPs (Lead)

New Delhi, March 18 (IANS) The Congress Tuesday fielded five of its sitting parliamentarians from Delhi as it released its third list of candidates for the Lok Sabha polls.

Except South Delhi and West Delhi - represented by Ramesh Kumar and Mahabal Mishra respectively - the party announced candidates for five constituencies, renominating the present members.

With the declaration of the five names, the stage is almost set for the April 10 polls in the capital.

Ajay Maken will contest from New Delhi where the Aam Aadmi Party has fielded former journalist Ashish Khetan. The Bharatiya Janata Party has given ticket to Meenakshi Lekhi from the constituency.

Union minister Kapil Sibal will try to retain his Chandni Chowk seat, the largest constituency in Delhi.

Sibal will face AAP's Ashutosh and BJP's Harsh Vardhan, who besides being a legislator is the party's state unit president.

Another union minister, Krishna Tirath, about whom speculation of her being denied the ticket was in the air, will contest from North West Delhi, a reserved constituency.

Tirath will contest against BJP's Udit Raj who is a new entrant to the party.

The AAP Tuesday decided to field former Delhi minister Rakhi Birla from North West Delhi and withdrew the candidature of Mahendra Singh.

Former state Congress president Jai Prakash Agarwal will fight from North East Delhi where his AAP contender would be Anand Kumar.

The BJP has given ticket to Bhojpuri singer Manoj Tiwari in North East Delhi.

Sandeep Dikshit, son of former chief minister Sheila Dikshit, will face Mahatma Gandhi's grandson Rajmohan Gandhi who will contest on an AAP ticket from East Delhi.

The BJP has fielded Mahesh Giri in the constituency.