Delhi polls: Shutting replacement rumours, BJP trusts Sunil Yadav to win against Kejriwal

Putting a stop to rumours that Bhartiya Janta Yuva Morcha president Sunil Yadav would be replaced from contesting against AAP chief and CM Arvind Kejriwal, senior BJP leader on Tuesday cleared the air saying that the party trusts its candidate on winning the Delhi Assembly Elections.

"We have decided that Sunil Yadav will remain our candidate from New Delhi seat against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. We are assured of his victory in the Delhi Assembly Elections," senior BJP Shyam Jaju leader said. 

Even as the BJP on Monday announced Sunil Yadav as the candidate from the New Delhi constituency, news agency ANI on Tuesday morning had quoted sources and said they would replace him.

The AAP on Monday evening took a jibe at the BJP saying that it already "surrendered" the Delhi elections by announcing Sunil Yadav as its candidate against Kejriwal.

READ | BJP's Candidate Against Kejriwal Indicative Of Delhi Polls Surrender? AAP Says '70 Seats!'

Sunil Yadav exceeds Manoj Tiwari

While Congress has fielded former NSUI Delhi president Ramesh Sabharwal against Arvind Kejriwal, there were rumours that BJP's move to replace Sunil Yadav could point towards a possible Manoj Tiwari versus Kejriwal in the national capital.

Manoj Tiwari who is the BJP chief in Delhi was earlier seen as a contender against Kejriwal. However, on Monday, Sunil Yadav filed his nomination from the New Delhi constituency on BJP's ticket.

Kejriwal led AAP has already touted the Delhi polls as "Kejriwal vs who" and has criticised the BJP and Congress for failing to announce its chief ministerial face. BJP, on the other hand, had announced that the saffron party will contest the polls under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

READ | BJP Dithering? Party Rethinking Candidate Fielded Against Delhi CM Kejriwal: Sources

READ | Delhi Polls: BJP Fields Youth Wing Leader Sunil Yadav Against CM Kejriwal In Second List

BJP-SAD alliance ends

In other important developments, the BJP and the Akali Dal's alliance ended on Monday over the issue of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) said that will not be contesting the polls since the BJP's stance on the controversial act has not changed.

Addressing reporters, SAD spokesperson Manjinder Singh Sirsa said, "Shiromani Akali Dal believes that the National Register of Citizens should not be implemented. We welcomed CAA but we never demanded that any religion be excluded from this act."

Delhi will be going to polls on February 8 and the counting of the polls will take place on February 11. 

READ | 'BJP, LJP, Cong, RJD, JD(U) Vs Road, School, Water, Power,' Says Kejriwal; Tiwari Replies