LIVE | BJP set to win Delhi after 27 years, say most exit polls
Delhi records a voter turnout of 57.7 per cent till 5 pm amid allegations of bogus voting and cash distribution; 2 detained for alleged bogus voting
As voting for the Delhi Assembly elections concluded on Wednesday (February 5), almost all exit polls, barring two, have projected a BJP comeback in Delhi after 27 years.
While the AAP is predicted to give the saffron party a fight, the Congress seems nowhere in the picture, going by the exit polls. Two exit polls have predicted an AAP win.
Voter turnout
Till 5 pm on Wednesday, the Election Commission recorded a voter turnout of about 57.7 per cent across the national capital's 70 assembly constituencies.
Also read: ‘AAP-da’: Day before Delhi voting, Modi targets Kejriwal in Parliament
The ruling AAP and BJP were engaged in an intense blame game for the better part of the day, with both sides alleging voting malpractices in different constituencies. However, the Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi told news agency PTI around noon that the polling process was going on "smoothly".
Polling began at 7 am on Wednesday. Till 5 pm, the highest turnout was recorded in the Northeast district at 63.83 per cent, while the New Delhi district recorded the lowest at 54.37 per cent. Among other constituencies, Mustafabad had the highest turnout at 66.68 per cent while Karol Bagh recorded the lowest at 47.40 per cent.
Shahdara recorded a turnout of 61.35 per cent, Southwest Delhi 58.86 per cent, Northwest Delhi 58.05 per cent, North Delhi 57.24 per cent, Central Delhi district 55.24 per cent, Southeast Delhi 53.77 per cent, according to the EC data.
Also read: On poll eve, Kejriwal meets EC, claims Delhi Police intimidated voters
High-profile voters
President Droupadi Murmu, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankar, Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, Union ministers S Jaishankar and Hardeep Singh Puri, Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal were among the early voters.
The counting of votes will take place on Saturday (February 8).
Bypolls in Erode, Milkipur
Voting was also held for the bypolls to the Erode East Assembly constituency in Tamil Nadu and Milkipur in Uttar Pradesh. The constituencies registered about 64 and 65 per cent turnouts, respectively, by 5 pm.
In Erode East, the battle is largely confined between the ruling DMK and actor-politician Seeman’s Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK). In the Scheduled Castes (SC)-reserved Milkipur, the main contest is expected to be between Samajwadi Party’s Ajit Prasad and the BJP’s Chandrabhanu Paswan.
Live Updates
- 5 Feb 2025 12:05 PM GMT
Pak Hindu refugees vote for the first time
A total of 186 Pakistani Hindu refugees, after years of uncertainty, exercised their voting right for the first time in the Delhi Assembly polls, marking a powerful moment in their journey from statelessness to citizenship.
They all got Indian citizenship under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
Dharamveer Solanki, president of the Pakistani Hindu refugee community, expressed hope that their struggles would lessen.
“Now, we won’t have to constantly change our location. We will finally get permanent homes and a stable means of livelihood,” he said.
Solanki said that people from our community were so excited that they queued up outside the polling booth in Majnu Ka Tilla — a resettlement colony for the refugees.
“I have lived here for 17 years but today, for the first time, I truly feel like I am part of Hindustan,” Chandrama said as she became emotional.
“After a long struggle, now I have hope that my children will get a better life,” she added.
For decades, thousands of Pakistani Hindus have sought refuge in India, fleeing religious persecution. Many settled in Delhi’s Majnu Ka Tila, living in makeshift shelters, and taking up daily wage work.
Yashoda (27) was the first to receive Indian citizenship in her group and even had the chance to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Today, standing in a queue at the polling booth, she could hardly contain her excitement.
“We have spent years working as daily wage labourers, struggling to survive. Now that we have Indian citizenship, we hope for proper jobs, homes, and a dignified life,” she said.
Despite their newfound rights, many still face basic struggles. Maina (23), who travelled from Faridabad to cast her vote in Majnu Ka Tilla, said electricity is getting cheaper for others, but they still pay more.
“We don’t have access to clean water. Our homes are broken, and we live in harsh conditions. We hope the new government will finally address our problems,” she added.
Among the voters was Ranju, in her 70s, who has spent more than half her life in India, but never had the right to vote until now.
“I have seen hardship my entire life — struggles for water, employment, identity. Many people here still don’t have Aadhaar cards. Prices are rising, and we are just trying to survive,” she said.
