Delhi Election: Voting For 70-Seat Assembly Begins As AAP Seeks Third Term; BJP, Congress Battle For Revival

Delhi Assembly Elections: Voting for the throne of national capital begun at 7am today. A fiercely contested Assembly election, with the incumbent Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) seeking a third successive term against a resurgent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and a Congress striving for revival in Delhi.

More than 1.56 crore voters will cast their ballots to determine the fate of 699 candidates across all 70 constituencies.

Photo Credit: PTI

The election is taking place under tight security following an intense campaign dominated by debates on governance, corruption allegations, voter list manipulation, law and order, and promises of welfare schemes.

AAP, led by Arvind Kejriwal, is banking on its governance record and social welfare initiatives to retain power.

BJP, hoping to reclaim Delhi after over 25 years, has launched an aggressive campaign accusing AAP of corruption and poor governance.

Meanwhile, the Congress, which failed to secure a single seat in the last two elections, is aiming to regain its lost influence.

Kejriwal and Chief Minister Atishi spearheaded AAP's campaign, holding rallies across the city.

This election is particularly significant for Kejriwal, who stepped down in September last year following his release on bail in the liquor policy scam. He is now seeking a fresh mandate to return to office and regain the public's trust.

The BJP's campaign was led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and party president JP Nadda, focusing on AAP's alleged corruption, failures in law and order, and unfulfilled promises.

Key issues raised by the party included the liquor policy scandal, the extravagant renovation of the Chief Minister's residence, and governance lapses.

The Congress, with Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi at the forefront, mounted a spirited campaign, targeting both AAP and BJP on multiple fronts.

All three parties have made significant welfare pledges in a bid to woo voters. AAP has promised free bus travel for students, insurance cover for auto and taxi drivers, and a monthly financial aid of ₹18,000 for temple priests and gurdwara granthis.

BJP has pledged ₹21,000 financial assistance for pregnant women and subsidised LPG cylinders at ₹500. Meanwhile, the Congress has committed to providing an ₹8,500 monthly unemployment benefit.

Towards the end of the campaign, tensions escalated as AAP accused the BJP-led Haryana government of "poisoning Yamuna water," prompting sharp reactions from the BJP.

AAP first came to power in December 2013 with Congress' backing in a hung Assembly, but Kejriwal resigned after just 49 days, citing his inability to pass the Jan Lokpal Bill.

In the subsequent elections of 2015 and 2020, AAP secured landslide victories, winning 67 and 62 seats respectively, while the BJP was reduced to single digits and Congress failed to win a single seat.

Notably, despite AAP and Congress contesting the 2024 Lok Sabha elections together under the INDIA bloc, they are fighting this Assembly election separately.

To ensure a smooth voting process, extensive security measures have been implemented across the city. The Election Commission has deployed 220 paramilitary companies, 35,626 Delhi Police personnel, and 19,000 home guards.

Nearly 3,000 polling stations have been classified as sensitive, with special security measures such as drone surveillance in place.

The votes will be counted on February 8.