Journalism to politics
Ashutosh Chandni Chowk, vs Kapil Sibal
Formerly managing editor with IBN7, Ashutosh wrote a book on the Jan Lokpal movement, Anna: 13 days that awakened India, while he was still a journalist. Since he joined the party two months ago, Ashutosh has been thrust into a leadership role, and become one of the party?s chief spokespersons to the media.
Mukul Tripathi Farrukhabad, vs Salman Khurshid
He is a Lucknow-based activist and journalist who runs several campaigns for the physically impaired and won the Shreshth Viklang Karmi Award in 2009. He has been in touch with the party after Kejriwal joined an agitation against alleged corruption by the Zakir Hussain Memorial Trust, run by Farrukhabad?s incumbent MP, Salman Khurshid.
Mass movements
Medha Patkar Mumbai Northeast, vs Sanjay Dina Patil (NCP)
Founder of the Narmada Bachao Andolan and a social activist who has been at the forefront of the protests against the Sardar Sarovar project. Winner of many awards, including the Goldman Environmental Prize, Amnesty International?s Human Rights Defender?s Award and the BBC?s Green Ribbon Award.
Alok Agarwal Khandwa, vs Arun Yadav (Cong)
A close aide of Medha Patkar, he is a veteran of the Narmada Bachao Andolan And leading the movement in Madhya Pradesh. He has espoused the cause of Swaraj. Agarwal, 46, hails from UP and graduated from IIT Kanpur. He taught Dalit students before becoming a full-time NBA activist in 1990. He is unmarried and says he has no property.
Subhash Ware Pune, vs Suresh Kalmadi
Ware is a social activist, formerly Maharashtra president of the Chhatra Bharati movement. He was involved in the India Against Corruption movement. In Pune, where he will take on Suresh Kalmadi, he has opposed the municipal corporation move to introduce public-private partnerships in civic work. He has been a member of the Rashtra Seva Dal and is now in the AAP national committee.
Soumendra Dhaka Baghpat, vs Ajit Singh
Former president of the Baghpat Bar Association, Dhaka has taken up farmer issues, especially those involved in sugarcane. Before he began working for the AAP in 2012, he used to be known in the area as a loyalist of Ajit Singh, ironically the MP he will take on.
Lingaraj Bargarh, vs Sanjay Bhoi (Cong)
A former national president of the Samajwadi Jan Parishad, of which Yogendra Yadav too was part. Before joining the AAP, the farmers? activist contested the assembly elections in 2004 and 2009 from Bargarh as an independent, campaigning on a bicycle. As an M Phil student in JNU in the 1980s, Lingaraj tore up all his academic certificates because he was inspired by Kishan Patnaik who would later form the SJP.
Khalid Parvez Moradabad, vs Md Azharuddin
Khalid Parvez is a social activist who has largely worked in the education sector.
Yogesh Dahiya Saharanpur, vs Jagdish Rana (BSP)
Yogesh Dahiya is a member of the AAP national executive, and is seen as close to party leader Sanjay Singh. He has been involved in farmer issues.
Career switch
Baba Hardev Singh Mainpuri, vs Mulayam Singh Yadav
Baba Hardev Singh has retired from the IAS, having served as an officer with the provincial civil services. After retirement, Singh went on to become the general secretary of the RLD in charge of Uttar Pradesh. He quit the party, however, and will now contest on an AAP ticket against Mulayam Singh Yadav.
Dr Jiyalal Lalganj, vs Bali Ram (SP)
Worked as a senior principal scientist with the National Institute of Oceanography. He has been awarded by the Maharashtra government for his work. The AAP says he was part of an expedition to the South Pole in 1989. Will contest in a seat reserved for scheduled castes.
Meera Sanyal Mumbai South, vs Milind Deora
She quit her job as CEO and chairperson of the Royal Bank of Scotland to join politics. Has worked with children and disadvantaged communities in Mumbai and will use her popularity to take on the union minister.
Habung Payeng Arunachal West, vs T Sanjoy (Cong)
Payeng, 56, has been an activist since his schooldays. Formerly Arunachal Pradesh information commissioner, he is a member of the AAP national executive and in charge of the party for the northeastern states. An MA in economics and M Phil from JNU, Payeng began as a newsreader in AIR Delhi, launched a weekly newspaper at home, worked as a college teacher, got into research on tribal customary laws, pioneered a consumer movement and even became a spokesperson for the Arunachal Congress before being appointed an information commissioner.
Vijay Pandhare Nashik, vs Sameer Bhujbal (NCP)
An engineer, former bureaucrat and member of Maharashtra?s technical advisory committee on irrigation, Pandhare raised questions about irregularities in the use of public funds in that sector. In 2013, Vijay alleged an irrigation scam leading to the resignation of Ajit Pawar as minister.
