Prime Minister Narendra Modi gestures at the Bharatiya Janata Party headquarters as BJP celebrates its win in the Delhi state assembly elections, in New Delhi, February 8, 2025.
Credit: Reuters Photo
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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699 candidates - 603 men and 96 women - contested the election from 70 Assembly constituencies
In a post on X, Kejriwal claimed that 16 Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidates had received offers from the BJP with the promise of ministerial positions and Rs 15 crore each if they switch sides.
The electoral fate of 699 candidates in the Delhi Assembly elections were sealed on Wednesday as at least 60 per cent of 1.56 crore voters exercised their franchise to choose their government either from ruling AAP or BJP.
Counting of votes for the Delhi assembly polls will take place on Saturday, with votes cast by around 94.6 lakh people will determine whether the AAP gets a fourth term or BJP manages to trounce the Arvind Kejriwal-led party.
The run up to the D-day saw high drama as Delhi Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) on Friday served a legal notice to Kejriwal seeking evidence regarding his allegation that the BJP attempted to bribe 16 party candidates and AAP held a meeting of its 70 nominees.
All three sides -- AAP, BJP and Congress -- are heading to the counting table with the anticipation of a favourable political situation. For the Congress, which could not open its account since 2015, the expectation is a "good fight" in half-a-dozen seats of which they could win a couple.
The next Delhi chief minister will be from the BJP but the central leadership will decide on who it will be, the party's Delhi president Virendra Sachdeva said on Saturday as votes were counted for the assembly elections held earlier this week.
The BJP was leading in 38 seats and the AAP in 27, according to early trends on the Election Commission website.
“The results so far are in line with our expectations but we will wait for the final outcome,” Sachdeva told reporters after offering prayers at the Hanuman Temple in Connaught Place.
According to Sachdeva, BJP candidates had worked diligently and Delhi’s voters had chosen development and a corruption-free governance model. "The people have picked Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership because they wanted a model of development.”
(PTI)
Credit: PTI Photos
New Delhi: BJP supporters erupted in celebration outside its Delhi headquarters as the latest counting trends showed the saffron party returning to power in the national capital after more than 26 years with a decisive mandate.
Supporters danced to the beats of 'dhol' and waved party flags, creating a festive atmosphere.
Holding up cutouts of a lotus, the BJP's election symbol, they also smeared each other with saffron-coloured powder.
The BJP was leading in 41 of Delhi's 70 assembly seats while AAP was ahead in 29, according to the latest trends released by the Election Commission.
(PTI)
Only 2 rounds of counting left; Kejriwal trails Parvesh Verma by 3,000 votes
Apart from his party losing power in the national capital after more than a decade, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal tasted defeat in the New Delhi Assembly seat he contested
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Results of the Delhi Assembly election are not a vindication of Prime Minister's Narendra Modi's policies but a referendum on Arvind Kejriwal and AAP, the Congress said on Saturday as it vowed to bounce back from another whitewash.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the assembly election results reflected nothing more than a referendum on Kejriwal and AAP.
"After all, at the height of the prime minister's popularity in 2015 and 2020, AAP had won decisively in Delhi. This shows that, rather than being vindication of the policies of the prime minister, this vote is a rejection of Arvind Kejriwal's politics of deceit, deception, and vastly exaggerated claims of achievement," he said in a post on X.The Congress took the lead in highlighting the various scams that occurred under Kejriwal and the voters pronounced their judgement on his 12 years of "misrule", he added.
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Saturday hailed the BJP’s superb performance in the Delhi elections as a triumph of “truth, development and vision”.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday congratulated party workers for the "historic victory" of the BJP in the bypolls held on the Milkipur assembly constituency and also in the Delhi assembly polls.
In a post on X in Hindi, Adityanath said, "Heartiest congratulations to all the dedicated party officials and hard working workers for the historic victory of Bharatiya Janata Party in the by-election of Milkipur Legislative Assembly seat!"
"This victory is a symbol of the unwavering faith of the common people in the public welfare policies of the 'Double Engine BJP Government' led by the Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the UP government dedicated to service, security and good governance," he said.
"Congratulations to the winning candidate Chandrabhanu Paswan and hearty greetings to the people of Milkipur Assembly constituency who gave their votes to the development journey and good governance of Uttar Pradesh! Jai Shri Ram!" the CM said.
The Aam Aadmi Party's loss in the Delhi Assembly polls is a setback not just for the party but the entire opposition, and raises questions over its future now that it will only be limited to Punjab, Swaraj India party co-founder and psephologist Yogendra Yadav said on Saturday.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday congratulated party workers for the "historic victory" of the BJP in the Delhi assembly polls.
"I want to congratulate the people of Delhi for making BJP win in Delhi after 27 years. This is the faith they have shown in PM Narendra Modi's leadership and his work. People of Delhi have also exposed AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal... The faith bestowed upon BJP by the people of Delhi will not go to waste. I assure the people of Delhi that BJP will bring change," Fadnavis said.
Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini on Saturday said that BJP's double-engine government will work for the development of Delhi.
"The people of Delhi were deprived of the welfare schemes launched by PM Modi for the development of all sections of the society...AAP is involved in corruption...The people of Delhi were forced to drink dirty water and were deprived of good education. Today the people of Delhi have expressed their trust in the welfare schemes of PM Modi...The people have ousted the AAP government from power...Arvind Kejriwal's ideas are communist...He never cared for the people of Delhi...To hide his shortcomings, he blamed Haryana...The people of Haryana will never mix poison in the water...BJP's double-engine government will work for the development of Delhi...," he said.
Delhi BJP chief Virendraa Sachdeva said that BJP workers worked very hard.
"BJP workers worked very hard... This is the victory of PM Modi's trust and development. The people of Delhi have expressed their faith in PM Modi's guarantee... ÄAP should introspect and the government does not work on corruption, lies but works with the system and follows the law and order," he said.
Check out the key takeaways from the Delhi Assembly elections:
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Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived at BJP Headquarters in Delhi to celebrate the party's victory in Delhi elections.
Former Delhi minister Kailash Gahlot, who had quit AAP and joined BJP ahead of the Assembly election, won from the Bijwasan constituency by a margin of 11,276 votes.
Embedded in this mandate is a worrying signal about rewards for central overreach and pushing back the rights of Opposition-ruled states, writes Saba Naqvi.
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Delhi BJPMPs felicitate Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the BJP headquarters as he joins the party's victory celebration.
Addressing a BJP meeting at party headquarters, Union Minister and BJP National President JP Nadda said: "Today, at this historic moment, I would like to congratulate Prime Minister Narendra Modi on behalf of all the party workers of BJP. The BJP has been victorious one after the other under the leadership of PM Modi."
BJP chief J P Nadda slammed the AAP govt and termed the party as corrupt party.
"Delhi people have official stamped the AAP as corrupt party. There is another party which is consistent in their score. Congress will always remain zero. PM Modi had said we will not tolerate the 'AAPDA' and people of Delhi has done it," Nadda said.
PM Mpdi addressed party workers at the headquarters, after BJP won the Delhi Assembly elections after a period of 27 years.
Starting his speech with 'Yamuna Maiya ki Jai', he called the results a mandate on AAP’s “politics of corruption” and congratulated the people of Delhi.
Addressing a BJP meeting at party headquarters, PM Modi said, "Enthusiasm for victory, and comfort is because Delhi is free of ‘AAPda’. I had sent a letter to all Delhi people, which you delivered to them. I had prayed to the people of Delhi to give the BJP a chance to serve them in the 21st century,”
Addressing a BJP meeting at party headquarters, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "I thank the people of Delhi. Delhi has given us love wholeheartedly and I once again assure the people that we will return you double the love in the form of development..."
"Today the people of Delhi have made it clear. The real owner of Delhi is only the people of Delhi. Those who thought of being the owners of Delhi have been confronted with the truth. This is also clear from the mandate of Delhi that there is no place for shortcuts, lies in politics. The people have ended the era of shortcut politics," he added
Addressing a BJP meeting at party headquarters, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "It is clear from Delhi’s verdict that in politics, there is no place for lies and deception. The people of Delhi have never disappointed me in the Lok Sabha elections. In the Lok Sabha elections in 2014, 2019 and 2024, the people of Delhi have made BJP victorious in all 7 seats."
Addressing a BJP meeting at party headquarters, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "Today's victory is historic. This is not an ordinary victory. The people of Delhi have driven out 'AAP-da'. Delhi has been freed from the 'AAP-da'. The mandate of Delhi is clear. Today, development, vision and trust have won in Delhi. Today, ostentation, anarchy, arrogance and the 'AAP-da' that had engulfed Delhi have been defeated. I congratulate every BJP worker and all of you for this victory..."
Addressing a BJP meeting at party headquarters, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "After victory in the Lok Sabha, we made new records in Haryana and Maharashtra. Now a new history has been written in Delhi."
Addressing a BJP meeting at party headquarters, Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked the people of Purvanchal.
He said, "Our Delhi is not just a city, it is a mini India. Delhi lives the idea of 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat'...Wherever I went in this election, I used to say with pride that I am an MP from Purvanchal. The people of Purvanchal gave love, trust, new energy, new strength. Therefore, as an MP from Purvanchal, I especially thank the people of Purvanchal."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "...'Aaj desh tushtikaran nahi BJP ki santushtikaran ki policy ko chun raha hai'...Today, along with Delhi, the BJP has got victory in Ayodhya's Milkipur. Every section has voted for the BJP in large numbers..."
Hours after the BJP won a decisive victory in the Delhi Assembly elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “Our party has always seen the middle class as a priority. They benefit from our policies. Startup India is helping people from smaller cities realise their dreams,”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "The politics of protests, confrontation and administrative uncertainty in Delhi have caused great harm to the people of Delhi. Today, all of you Delhiites have removed a major obstacle in the development of Delhi."
Addressing a BJP meeting at party headquarters, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "...The blessings of Nari Shakti is our biggest defence shield and today once again Nari Shakti has blessed us in Delhi. Be it Odisha, Maharashtra or Haryana, we have fulfilled every promise made to the Nari Shakti in every state...For the first time after independence, the BJP has come to power in every state of Delhi NCR...Rajasthan, UP, Haryana, there are BJP governments in every neighbouring state..."
Addressing a BJP meeting at party headquarters, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "Wherever NDA has received the mandate, we have taken that state to new heights of development and that is why BJP is continuously winning. People are electing our governments for the second and third time... In the North-East, our governments have connected the people with a new stream of development. There was a time when there was a huge water crisis in Gujarat, farming was difficult, but today the same Gujarat has emerged as an agriculture powerhouse. Remember the condition of Bihar before Nitish ji. Nitish ji got an opportunity in Bihar, change also came only when the NDA government came. Similarly, Chandrababu Naidu has proved his track record in Andhra Pradesh. All these examples show that NDA means guarantee of development, NDA means guarantee of good governance."
Addressing a BJP meeting at party headquarters, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “Broken roads, garbage dumps and polluted air – these are the problems that the people of Delhi have faced. We will build Delhi as a modern city. For the first time ever, the BJP will have a government in every state within NCR. Mobility and infrastructure will be our priorities in this region.”
"...Today again the people have given a message to Congress. Congress has hit a double hattrick of 'zero' in Delhi elections. The oldest party in the country is not able to get even one seat in the national capital for the last 6 times. They are giving the gold medal of defeat to themselves...", he said.
Addressing a BJP meeting at party headquarters, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "These people of 'AAP-da' came into politics by saying that we will change politics, but these people turned out to be completely dishonest. Today I was listening to the statement of Anna Hazare ji. Anna Hazare ji has been bearing the pain of the misdeeds of these people for a long time. Today he too must have got relief from that pain. The party born out of the movement against corruption got involved in corruption. It became such a party of the country whose Chief Minister and Ministers went to jail on corruption charges. Those who used to give themselves certificates of honesty, turned out to be corrupt. This was a big betrayal with Delhi. The liquor scam defamed Delhi. The scams in schools and hospitals troubled the poorest of the poor and on top of that, their arrogance was so much that when the world was dealing with Corona, these people were building 'Sheesh Mahal'..."
"I had pledged during the election campaign that we will make Yamunaji the identity of Delhi city. I know this work is difficult and will take a long time. No matter how much time is spent, how much energy is used, we will make every effort to serve the Yamuna," the prime minister said at the victory celebrations at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi gestures at the Bharatiya Janata Party headquarters as BJP celebrates its win in the Delhi state assembly elections.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi gestures at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters as BJP celebrates its win in the Delhi state assembly elections, in New Delhi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi gestures at the Bharatiya Janata Party headquarters as BJP celebrates its win in the Delhi state assembly elections.
Narendra Modi gestures at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters as BJP celebrates its win in the Delhi state assembly elections.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi gestures at the Bharatiya Janata Party headquarters as BJP celebrates its win in the Delhi state assembly elections.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi gestures at the Bharatiya Janata Party headquarters as BJP celebrates its win in the Delhi state assembly elections.