After 27 years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party will form the government in Delhi, the capital of India, after securing a resounding election victory.
According to the data from the Election Commission of India (EC), the incumbent Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is ahead in 23 seats in the 70-member legislative assembly, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has won or is leading in 47 seats.
The government can be formed by a party that receives more than the halfway threshold of 35 seats.
PM Modi commented on X, “Development wins, good governance triumphs,” and he promised that his party would do all possible to advance Delhi.
As the nation’s capital, Delhi holds symbolic significance, making the election a contest of prestige for both the BJP and AAP.
Since 2013, the AAP has ruled the city, which is a federally controlled area, with the support of voters due to its strong welfarism record. However, there have been a number of issues facing the party and its leaders lately, including accusations of corruption that they have refuted.
After losing power in the nation’s capital since 1998, the BJP views gaining Delhi as more than just an election victory; it is a vital footing in the city.
The party poured resources into the Delhi campaign, with Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah attending rallies. The BJP has recently won elections in other states, including Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh.
Congress, the primary national opposition party, Congress, was also running, but it is unlikely to gain a single seat.
Delhi was ruled by the party from 1998 until 2013, however it was overthrown due to accusations of corruption, which caused voters to switch to the AAP. Since then, it has not left an impression.
After his party lost its clear majority in the federal election last year, experts predict that Modi’s popularity among Indian voters will be strengthened by the victory in politically significant Delhi.
The AAP, a considerably smaller party that was commended for concentrating on enhancing the city’s healthcare and education systems during its early years in office, has suffered a serious setback as a result of the defeat. Although it also controls Punjab state, keeping Delhi would have been a victory for the struggling party, which is now facing doubts about its future.
The two biggest upsets for the AAP on Saturday were the defeats of Manish Sisodia in the Jangpura seat and Arvind Kejriwal in the New Delhi seat.
From the Kalkaji seat, incumbent Chief Minister Atishi just narrowly prevailed.
Kejriwal congratulated the BJP on its victory and stated in a video message on X that he and his party “humbly accepted” the people’s decision.
“I hope they live up to the expectations of the people who voted for them,” he stated.
Over 60% of eligible voters participated in Wednesday’s election. The BJP was expected to win an absolute majority, according to the majority of exit polls, albeit this hasn’t always worked out.
A significant portion of the BJP campaign focused on Kejriwal, an anti-graft campaigner who had spent the previous two years in jail alongside Sisodia in connection with a corruption case involving a now-cancelled alcohol sales regulation. Following months in incarceration, both leaders, who refute all of the accusations, were granted bail separately last year.
The BJP disputes Kejriwal’s accusation that Modi’s party has a “political vendetta” against him and the AAP. He was prohibited from signing files or accessing the chief minister’s office by the Supreme Court’s bail requirements. Days after being released from prison, Kejriwal resigned from his position.
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