BJP's Central Election Committee (CEC) will meet in New Delhi today to finalise the names of the candidates for the upcoming Assembly elections in the national capital. The 15-member panel, chaired by party President Amit Shah, is also expected to announce a campaign committee for the polls. There are reports that Kiran Bedi, the new entrant to the party, may head the campaign panel.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior party leaders, including Rajnath Singh and Arun Jaitley, are the members of the CEC.

Meanwhile, Delhi Congress Chief Arvinder Singh Lovely will not contest the upcoming Assembly elections in the national capital. Talking to reporters in New Delhi yesterday senior Congress leader and in-charge of party affairs in Delhi P C Chacko said that Mr Lovely will look after the party organisation of the elections in Delhi. He added that the party has requested Mr Lovely who is the candidate from the Gandhi Nagar constituency to withdraw from the contest. Mr Chacko said that the new candidate for the seat will be announced today.

Mr Chacko also dismissed suggestions that Mr Lovely had himself opted out of the fray. Party leader Ajay Maken, who is also the campaign in-charge of the party in Delhi, dismissed speculation that Lovely had opted out of the fray after he was made the face of the party in Delhi.

Talking to media Mr Lovely stated that he is honoured by the new role given to him by the party high command. He said, Congress will contest the elections united and will form the next government. He also denied reports of infighting between party members ahead of the polls in the city.