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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is currently leading in two constituencies in the Delhi Assembly elections, according to early trends from the Election Commission of India.
BJP candidate Om Prakash Sharma is leading in Vishwas Nagar with a margin of 1,741 votes, while in Shahdara, BJP’s Sanjay Goyal is ahead by a smaller margin of 506 votes.
Alongside Delhi, by-elections are also being counted for Uttar Pradesh’s Milkipur seat and Tamil Nadu’s Erode seat.
All security measures are in place as the vote counting progresses. The 70-member Delhi Assembly elections were held on February 5, with a voter turnout of 60.54%.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is seeking a third consecutive term, while the BJP is working to reclaim power in Delhi after more than two decades.
Sandeep Dikshit, the Congress candidate from New Delhi, stated on Saturday that he is unaware of any potential post-poll alliance between Congress and AAP, as the decision rests with the party’s high command. He told ANI, “I have no idea about the alliance. It is the decision of the high command. Let the counting of the votes happen.”
Exit polls released earlier this week gave the BJP an edge over AAP, but AAP leaders remain confident, citing historical trends where exit polls have underestimated their performance.
The BJP’s campaign, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, focused on criticizing the AAP over the pollution in the Yamuna River and the alleged lavish renovation of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence. Modi also used terms like “Aapda” (disaster) and “Sheesh Mahal” (glass palace) to target Kejriwal.
In response, the AAP emphasized its achievements in the education sector during its 11-year tenure and accused the BJP of potentially ending free education if it regains power.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi also campaigned against Kejriwal and senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia, accusing them of involvement in the Delhi excise policy “scam” case.
Key constituencies in this election include New Delhi, where AAP leader and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is contesting against Congress’s Sandeep Dikshit and BJP’s Parvesh Verma. Delhi Chief Minister Atishi is facing off against BJP’s Ramesh Bidhuri and Congress’s Alka Lamba. The election saw sharp exchanges between leaders of the three parties.
The Congress, which ruled Delhi for 15 consecutive years, has suffered significant setbacks in the last two elections and has yet to win a seat in the current assembly. The AAP has dominated the last two assembly elections, but the BJP is determined to break this trend and reclaim control of the National Capital after over 20 years.
(Photo courtesy: IANS)
