Ajay Maken flashes a victory sign as he arrives to file his nomination papers.
Congress leader Ajay Maken and BJP spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi today filed their nomination papers from the high-profile New Delhi Lok Sabha constituency. (
In pictures: Politicians make a beeline to file nomination)
Mr Maken, the AICC General Secretary and Communication Department Chairman, was the first to submit his nomination papers before the Returning officer at Jamnagar House in New Delhi at around 1 PM.
He was accompanied by his mother, wife, two daughters, son and some supporters.
Ms Lekhi reached Jamnagar House about 45 minutes later with senior BJP leader Vijay Kumar Malhotra by her side and some supporters carrying party flags and raising slogans.
Her husband Aman Lekhi and son Pranay Lekhi, who is handling her social media campaign, also reached the venue.
Both the candidates exuded confidence of winning the seat.
Mr Maken, who won unopposed the US-style primaries Congress had introduced to decide its candidates in select constituencies, said that he wants to run a positive campaign based on the work he had done for the constituency.
"I would just be talking about development work done by me and I would like to extend my best wishes to the contenders," Mr Maken told reporters.
When BJP candidate Ms Lekhi was asked whether Mr Maken had an upper hand due to his experience, she said, "I have also fought two elections here in Delhi for others. I have not contested myself but I have fought for others and I know election management."
"This time I am a challenge for him and you should ask this question to him," she said.
Ms Lekhi said that the head of Pilanji and Kotputli village had come with her to lend their support to her campaign.
With the two candidates filing their nominations today, the stage is set for a three-cornered fight in the New Delhi constituency.
Aam Aadmi Party has fielded journalist-turned-politician Ashish Khetan from the seat. He filed his nomination papers yesterday.
Mr Khetan is the founder of news portal gulail.com which had done a sting operation on Gujarat Police tailing a woman allegedly at the behest of BJP's prime ministerial Narendra Modi.