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 8:46 AM GMT
BJP alleges fake voting in Seelampur, AAP claims voter suppression in Chirag Dilli
Allegations of fake voting emerged in some parts of the national capital, including Seelampur and Kasturba Nagar, on Wednesday.
High drama unfolded in Seelampur when a BJP leader accused some people wearing burqas of attempting to vote fraudulently. However, police denied any fake voting in the area.
In Kasturba Nagar, police sources said two men allegedly attempted to vote fraudulently. The two men were caught and are being interrogated, they said.
AAP candidate from Greater Kailash, Saurabh Bharadwaj, claimed people were being stopped from voting in Chirag Dilli and and senior party leader Manish Sisodia alleged money was being distributed from a house in Jungpura.
In Seelampur, following allegations of fake voting by the BJP, more leaders of the party began sloganeering outside a polling booth.
Delhi Police, however, dismissed the charges pointing to security deployed in the area. Additional police and paramilitary forces were also deployed, they said.
Seelampur resident Safdar Ali told PTI that BJP candidate Anil Gaur came and said people were voting fraudulently.
“We asked him how was it possible when there are several layers of checking. The officials are checking the voter ID cards of everyone and allowing only valid voters inside the booth.
"Later, he left, and the situation is now normal here due to the administration and security personnel,” Ali said.
AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj claimed that police had barricaded the Chirag Dilli area, preventing people from voting. He shared a video on X showing a woman sitting alone in an autorickshaw near a barricade, alleging that it was deliberately placed to obstruct access to the polling station.
In another video, AAP’s candidate in Jungpura Manish Sisodia alleged money was being distributed from a house in the area. He asked police officers on duty to conduct a raid at the house.
In Kasturba Nagar, police received information that two men allegedly attempted fake voting. The incidents allegedly happened at Sarvodaya Vidyalaya in the Andrews Ganj area. They were caught by the Delhi Police and are currently being interrogated, police sources said.
Police received another PCR call from a woman who alleged that someone had cast vote in her name by the time she went to her pooling booth.
Police, however, found out that another woman with a similar name, who lived in the complainant's house as a tenant, had cast the vote.
After verification the presiding officer allowed both of them to vote, police said.
- 5 Feb 2025 8:42 AM GMT
Elderly voters seek better healthcare, roads
Elderly voters, accompanied by their family members or police personnel, stepped out to exercise their franchise in the Delhi assembly polls on Wednesday.
Asif (83) and his 80-year-old wife Masra Asand arrived at a polling station in Shaheen Bagh with their grandchild. The wheelchair-bound couple also encouraged others to cast their votes.
“Everyone is working hard to earn a living and support their families but the condition of roads and sanitation remains a major concern. These issues should be prioritised. Other than that, we are not expecting any major changes,” they said.
Shaukat Ali, a 91-year-old resident of Zaffrabad in northeast Delhi, wants better healthcare facilities for the elderly.
“The healthcare facilities are in a bad state. One has to stand in long queues to get treatment. People who use their contacts are preferred while the common man keeps waiting their turn,” he told PTI.
In Kalkaji, 85-year-old Ram Pyari was escorted to the booth by her 62-year-old daughter Reena. Talking about the issues plaguing Delhi, Reena said the roads were in terrible shape and their condition was deteriorating.
At many places, the elderly were escorted by police personnel.
In Sarojini Nagar, police personnel escorted a 92-year-old woman to Atal Adarsh Vidyalaya where she exercised her franchise.
