BJP headed for landslide win; demolition does Cong in

New Delhi, Apr 7 (UNI) The demolition drive and inflation sealed the fate of the Congress as the BJP was today all set to capture power in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.

Making a resounding comeback in the 272-member MCD, the BJP had won 72 seats and was leading in nearly 100 wards.

The Congress had bagged 37 seats and forged ahead in 32 while Independents and others had won 22 and were leading in 2 places.

Prominent winners included Leader of the Opposition in the present MCD House Subhash Arya and Mrs Anita Arya Babbar of the Congress.

The BJP seems certain to cross the 137 seats mark in the MCD House and sail to power.

Reacting to the results, senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley expressed the hope that the Delhi government would extend all cooperation to the Municipal Corporation.

Former Delhi Chief Minister Sahib Singh Verma attributed the BJP's win to the people's anger over the inordinate rise in the prices of daily commodities.

BJP Delhi Pradesh president Harshvardhan said the party's huge win was a result of the ''faulty policies of the Congress'' which led to the people constantly living under the fear of sealing and demolition in the last one year.

''This win is a result of the collective efforts of all the BJP workers who have been campaigning for the polls day and night over the last one month,'' Dr Harshvardhan said.

A disappointed Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit accepted the party's defeat and said it was time for ''introspection for the Congress.'' Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Ram Babu Sharma said the Congress' defeat reflected the people's anger on the issues of sealing and demolition.

''However, sealing of commercial establishments was as per the orders of the Supreme Court and no matter which Government comes to power in the MCD, it would go on,'' he added.

UNI