Delhi Assembly Elections 2025 | BJP's Parvesh Verma, Tarvinder Marwah emerge giant-slayers; defeat Kejriwal, Sisodia in polls

New Delhi: BJP's Parvesh Verma and Tarvinder Singh Marwah emerged as the biggest giant-slayers in the high-octane Delhi Assembly elections, defeating AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal and former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia in the New Delhi and Jangpura constituencies respectively.

In a fierce triangular contest in the New Delhi seat, Verma secured 30,088 votes, while Kejriwal trailed behind with 25,999 votes. Congress' Sandeep Dikshit finished third with 4,568 votes.

Verma, a two-time MP from West Delhi, had launched his campaign against Kejriwal even before BJP officially declared his candidature, positioning himself as the chief challenger to the former three-time Delhi chief minister.

His victory over Kejriwal not only boosts his stature as one of the BJP's most prominent Jat leaders in the capital but also strengthens his position as a potential contender for the chief minister's post.

Verma, a management graduate, has been active in politics since his youth, beginning with the RSS before rising through the BJP's ranks.

He first became an MLA from Mehrauli in 2013 before securing consecutive Lok Sabha victories from West Delhi in 2014 and 2019. Currently, a BJP national executive member, Verma has also been involved in social work through Rashtriya Swabhiman, a non-profit organisation founded by his father, former Delhi chief minister Sahib Singh Verma.

In another major upset, BJP's Marwah defeated Sisodia in the Jangpura constituency by a narrow margin of 675 votes. Marwah polled 38,859 votes, while Sisodia secured 38,184. Congress candidate Farhad Suri garnered 7,350 votes.

Sisodia, a key AAP strategist and the face of the party's education reforms had returned to electoral politics after spending 17 months in jail following his arrest in 2023 in the Delhi excise policy case. Released on bail in August 2024, he led a spirited campaign centred around education and governance.

However, Sisodia's move from Patparganj to Jangpura raised speculations, with opponents accusing him of seeking a safer seat. He won the 2020 election from Patparganj with a narrow margin of 3,207 votes.

Despite his efforts, the loss marks a significant setback for AAP, which had projected him as a pillar of its governance model. Before the elections, Kejriwal had promised that Sisodia would be reinstated as deputy chief minister if AAP retained power.

Conceding defeat, Sisodia said, "Our party workers fought well, and we worked hard. People supported us but I lost by 600 votes. I congratulate the winning candidate and hope he will serve the constituency well." Born in 1959 in New Delhi, Marwah was a three-time Congress MLA from Jangpura (1998–2013) before switching to the BJP in 2022. A known Sikh leader, he heads the BJP's Delhi Sikh Cell. His political career has been marked by controversies, including claims that the Congress sidelined him before his defection.

Marwah, a businessman who also earns from rental properties, gained attention for his critical remarks against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and his allegations that Congress leadership ignored his concerns.

With the defeats of Kejriwal and Sisodia, the BJP is poised for a landslide victory in Delhi, leading in 48 of the 70 assembly seats, while AAP is trailing with just 22.

The results mark a significant shift in the capital's political landscape, signalling the end of AAP's 12-year dominance and the resurgence of the BJP in Delhi after more than 26 years.

Delhi assembly elections 2025 results | Get all latest updates here

Delhi assembly elections 2025 results | Get constituency-wise details here

Delhi Assembly Election 2025 | The Delhi Assembly Elections saw a fierce contest between AAP and BJP, while Congress despite its best attempts failed to make a mark. The saffron party is all set to make a comeback in the national capital after almost three decades as AAP chief Kejriwal has accepted the people's verdict and looks to be part of a constructive opposition. Reactions from all quarters are pouring in as BJP celebrates its first electoral win in 2025, with Bihar polls slated to take place later this year. Check live updates and track the latest coverage, live news, in-depth opinions, and analyses only on Deccan Herald.

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