The stage is set for a major showdown in the New Delhi Assembly constituency in the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections as once again New Delhi will see the contest between Kejriwal & Dikshit, though a different Dikshit this time.

In fact, this seat has the potential to become one of the most closely contested battles in this year’s election. Arvind Kejriwal, the current legislator representing this seat, will face Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit. While many believe Dikshit will challenge Kejriwal on his "home turf," the situation is actually quite different.

It was Kejriwal who defeated Sheila Dikshit, the then Chief Minister and MLA of New Delhi, in 2013—Sandeep’s mother. Therefore, this election presents an opportunity for Dikshit to reclaim his family’s legacy and "turf" from Kejriwal.

The BJP has yet to announce its candidate till the time this article was written, but there are speculations that the party may field Parvesh Verma, son of former CM Saheb Singh Verma, from this seat, though currently, this is just a grapevine in circulation.

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Sheila Dikshit – 3-time CM of Delhi got defeated in 2013 from the New Delhi seat

Sheila Dikshit had an illustrious political career. She was the daughter-in-law of senior Congress leader Uma Shankar Dikshit. During the time of the Rajiv Gandhi government, she served as a minister in his council of ministers between 1986-1989.

Her moment of crowning glory came in the 1998 Delhi assembly elections when she triumphed over Kirti Azad of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the Gole Market constituency, later becoming the Chief Minister of Delhi. The Congress Party secured 52 seats in the election.

In 2003, Dikshit stayed invincible and defeated Poonam Azad, wife of Kirti Azad from Gole Market. She became CM for the second time.

In 2008, she contested from the New Delhi Assembly seat and won from this seat to become CM for the third time.

However, things were getting tough for her and for the Congress Party. Both were facing massive anti-incumbency.

In 2013, she tasted defeat after a successful run for 15 years, and Arvind Kejriwal, who was till then considered a political novice, a rookie, defeated her, also leading to the forfeiture of security.

Arvind Kejriwal’s consecutive win

Since 2013, Kejriwal has been maintaining a winning streak from the New Delhi Assembly seat. This time too, his name has been declared by the party.

Sandeep Dikshit, ex-MP – East Delhi

Sandeep Dikshit has been into politics for a long time. He had then defeated the sitting MP Lal Bihari Tiwari from BJP in 2004 to win the LS election from Delhi-East parliamentary seat.

Then, again in 2009, he won the seat, this time defeating Chetan Chauhan of BJP

This time, there were speculations that Congress and AAP might join hands in the assembly elections, but this did not happen. The Congress party fielding Sandeep Dikshit from this seat shows the resolve of the party in making an effort to reclaim its lost ground and challenge the party in power right at the epicenter. Until the BJP declares any heavyweight candidate from this seat, this will be a phir ek baar: Kejriwal vs Dikshit contest in New Delhi.