President Droupadi Murmu shows her finger marked with indelible ink after casting her vote at a polling booth during the Delhi Assembly elections, in New Delhi, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025.
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu, Union ministers S Jaishankar and Hardeep Singh Puri, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, were among the early voters as polling began for the Delhi Assembly elections on Wednesday. Other prominent leaders who came out to cast their vote were Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, AAP leader and former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva, Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora, and Delhi Chief Electoral Officer R Alice Vaz.AAP's Greater Kailash candidate Saurabh Bharadwaj, BJP's Karawal Nagar candidate Kapil Mishra, Congress' New Delhi candidate Sandeep Dikshit, and Kalkaji candidate Alka Lamba also exercised their franchise soon after voting began at 7 am.
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LG Saxena said after casting his vote, "It is a festival of democracy. I appeal to all Delhiites to participate in this festival. Today is a day of duty, not a holiday." Jaishankar said, "I have always been an early voter, a Delhi voter. The people are in a mood of change." Delhi CM and AAP's candidate from Kalkaji, Atishi, offered prayers at the Kalkaji temple ahead of casting her vote.
"This election is a battle between good and evil. This is a battle between work and hooliganism," she said. “I have cast my vote for better Delhi and for better life of people. I appeal to voters to vote for better education, better health, and other facilities,” AAP candidate from Jangpura constituency Manish Sisodia said.
There are around 1.56 crore eligible voters in the capital, which is witnessing a triangular contest between the ruling AAP, BJP, and Congress. While the AAP is eyeing a third consecutive term, the BJP and Congress are hoping for a resurgence in Delhi. Polling is underway at 13,766 stations across Delhi's 70 assembly constituencies to decide the fate of 699 candidates. The results will be announced on February 8.
Delhi Assembly Election 2025 | The first of two state assembly polls this year sees a three-way contest between AAP, Congress, and BJP in the nation's capital. AAP decided to contest the polls alone, causing rumours of a rift in I.N.D.I.A. BJP, meanwhile, is hoping the liquor excise policy scam and pollution in Delhi will give the saffron party an edge over AAP. Kejriwal, on the other hand, has different plans with his demand for reservations for Delhi Jats. Congress will also be looking to make its presence felt and has not held back from attacking its own alliance partner. Check live updates and track the latest coverage, live news, in-depth opinions, and analyses only on Deccan Herald.
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