AAP eyes hat-trick as BJP fights for comeback: Vote counting begins

In just a few hours from now, the fate of the high voltage electoral battle for 70 assembly seats in Delhi will be known. While the race to form the next government is largely between AAP and BJP which has been in opposition since 1998, Congress can spoil the calculations of the two with a few surprises.

Counting starts at 8am and trends will be out by 10.30am.

By 1pm, Delhi may know who will rule the city for next five years.

AAP and Congress fielded 70 candidates each, BJP 68 (left two to its two allies Janata Dal (United) and Loktantrik Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas)). But there were 699 candidates in total - 603 men, 95 women and one third gender candidate. Over 60.5% of the 15,614,000 electors, or 9,451,997 voters, cast their votes on Feb 5.

Delhi’s chief electoral officer, R Alice Vaz, said the EVMs were safe in 70 strong rooms, one for each assembly constituency, across 19 locations under multi-layered security.

Most exit polls have predicted a close contest with BJP having an edge in seats and vote share. In 2013, AAP won 28 seats and formed the government with Congress outside support which lasted only 49 days. In 2015, AAP won a massive mandate with 67 seats out of 70. In 2020, AAP repeated its triumph winning 62 seats and BJP got 8. Congress again failed to open its account.

None of the parties are taking the exit polls seriously. AAP’s Saurabh Bharadwaj told reporters on Wednesday, “Exit polls had predicted defeat in 2013 and 2015 and victory in 2020 but with fewer seats. Exit polls have always shown AAP getting fewer votes. But in many areas of my constituency people stopped their vehicles to tell me AAP will win,” he said.AAP is asking for a third term on the basis of its performance in health, education, water and other sectors, providing free power and water to frugal consumers and free bus rides to women in public transport. It has promised more welfare schemes for women, senior citizens and other sections of society.

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva is confident of huge margin for his party.

"Our victory will be more spectacular than what exit polls show," he asserted on Friday. BJP, which has been out of office for nearly 26 years, assured it would continue the welfare schemes already implemented and proposed several new benefits for various sections of society. It also promised bigger development with a "double-engine govt".

Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav said his party has fought a good election whatever the exit poll said. "Our hard work will convert into votes. We worked at the grassroots level to strengthen our cadre," he said taking opportunity to remind Delhi of the massive development under Sheila Dikshit’s Congress govt from 1998 to 2013.