Delhi Elections: Early Trends Indicate A Landslide Victory For AAP, BJP Trounced, Congress Wiped Out

If the early counting trends are to be trusted, the Aam Admi Party is in for a landslide victory in Delhi. The AAP is leading from 66 seats, while the BJP is languishing at 3, the INC is leading on one seat.

On one hand these trends are heart rending for the BJP, while on the other, they have surprised the AAP as well.

Opinion polls and exit polls were predicting a clear cut majority for the AAP, but no one ever predicted this kind of mandate.

These results will definitely dent the confidence of the BJP, a party that never tasted defeat after getting to power at the center in the general elections last year.

While BJP suffers a huge loss, the Congress is virtually wiped out from the capital city.     

Graphic Source: Election Commission of India

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Kejriwal Set To Get Majority In Delhi: Exit Polls

All the top exit polls conducted in the national capital Delhi are indicating that AAP led by  Arvind Kejriwal is heading towards a full majority in the state assembly.

Top exit poll agencies like Nielsen, C-Voter, Cicero, News Nation, Axis APM, and Today's Chanakya are projecting AAP to win in excess of 40 seats, a comfortable number to form a government.

BJP's CM candidate Kiran Bedi termed the exit poll trends as incomplete and incomprehensive, "This is based on data till 3 pm. Let us not accept it as final, " she said.

Voter turnout in Delhi today was around 69%, a number higher than last year's general elections or 2013's assembly elections. 

If the AAP comes to power in the state, it will be a first major setback for the BJP after it came to power at the center last year in May.

AAP's victory in Delhi will give Kejriwal an opportunity to avenge himself on PM Modi, who trounced him in the general elections; both contested the election from Varanasi constituency. Most of the political pundits were touting this assembly election as Modi vs Kejriwal and not as Kejriwal vs Kiran Bedi.

Delhi assembly election was(and still is ) a question of existence for the Aam Admi Party, while for the BJP, it was a question of keeping the Modi wave alive before the vital Bihar assembly elections.   

BJP, in its vigorous poll campaign, mostly concentrated on counting the achievements of the Modi government at the center and criticizing Kejriwal and AAP. On the other hand, AAP's campaign hovered mostly around some very populist promises like free Wi-Fi, subsidized electricity and water bills, and homes for the slum dwellers.

The results for the elections will come out on 10 February.  

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Delhi Polls: The Final Show Down Begins

Delhi Polls: The Final Show Down Begins

Voting is under way for the much talked-about Delhi assembly elections, which is touted as the first real test of PM Modi's popularity wave.

Polling started at 8 in the morning. Initially the polling was on the slower side, but after a couple of hours later as the sun came out, the polling picked up speed. Around 36% voting happened till 1 PM.

Delhi has around 13 million eligible voters who can cast their votes at 12000 thousand polling stations in the capital city. To take care of any security concern, around 55000 para-military personnel have been deputed here along with the Delhi Police.

Both the AAP and the BJP are fighting for the throne in Delhi. The Congress party, which ruled the state for 15 consecutive years till 2013, is conspicuously lagging behind the two mentioned parties.    

   

In the meanwhile, BJP's New Delhi candidate Nupur Sharma - fighting the election against the AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal- has alleged that the AAP workers have manhandled her sister near Sangli booth; AAP has refuted the allegation and called it baseless and politically motivated.

Both the CM candidates Kiran Bedi and Arvind Kejriwal are fighting a close battle this time as almost all the opinion polls have termed the Delhi assembly elections as a neck-to-neck fight.

The results will be announced on 10 February.     

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Kiran Bedi's Campaign Aide Resigns From BJP Alleging Her Behavior as Dictatorial

An aide assigned to take care of Kiran Bedi's election campaign has resigned from the BJP alleging Bedi's behavior as dictatorial. Her whirlwind induction into the party and the subsequent announcement of her CM candidature irked many party members in Delhi, and eventually forced the top-brass of the BJP to take control of the election campaign.

The aide names Narendra Tandon has told the media that he resigned from the BJP last night as he was unable to tolerate her dictatorial attitude. When asked to respond, Bedi said she was ignorant of any such development.  

Yogendra Yadav of the Aam Admi Party said, "To the BJP, I would say 'get well soon'."

BJP's representatives are of the opinion that the resignation of Tandon will not harm the party as he was not the head of Bedi's poll campaign. "His past record is not very impressive. He has created trouble for the party in the past as well," said one of the party spokesperson.

Bedi, 65, is in contention for the CM's post against the AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal.

In the previous election the BJP fell short of the numbers and that allowed AAP to form a government in alliance with the Congress party. However, the government could not last longer than 49 days and Kejriwal resigned from CM's post after failing to get the Lokpal bill passed in the assembly; many analysts consider it a disastrous move. 

The fight for the throne of Delhi is expected to be fierce, and with just five days to go for the polls no one seems to be ceasing a single inch of ground.

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Anna Hazare Threatens A Movement Against The Modi Government

Social activist and anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare has blamed the BJP and the Modi government of not fulfilling the promise that they made during their run-up to the last year's General Elections.  

"It is clear that PM Modi is not serious about fighting corruption. In eight months, the government has not given any priority to corruption and there has been no progress on the Lokpal law. We are gathering people for a movement," the septuagenarian told the media.

When asked about forming a team with new faces he preferred to keep mum on Kiran Bedi and Arvind Kejriwal, who were the two most prominent faces of the erstwhile 'Team Anna'. The Team Anna was the principal figure in the India Against Corruption movement in the year 2011. 

"Ekla Chalo Re," he quoted Tagore. "I don't need Kiran Bedi or Arvind Kejriwal. I have the public with me. Why should I be upset at not having a team?" he said. The veteran public-leader has conspicuously distanced himself from both Ms Bedi and Mr Kejriwal, who have managed to emerge as two political faces of Delhi. 

"Let Delhi decide whether to choose Kiran or Arvind. Why drag me into the muck?" Anna Hazare said.

Sources say that Kiran Bedi's joining the BJP has seriously aggrieved Hazare, and he has reportedly refused to even take her calls. 

"Any Indian citizen can contest elections. The Constitution does not say that a person has to subscribe to any party or view. It is because of party politics that the country has suffered," said Hazare with a tone of sadness.

Polls will be held in Delhi on 7 February and the result will be out on 10 February. 

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Kiran Bedi Is BJP’s CM Candidate In Delhi

Bharatiya Janata Party has formally nominated Kiran Bedi as its CM candidate in the Delhi Assembly Elections. Following the party's chief election committee meeting yesterday, the party chief Amit told the media, "BJP will contest polls under the leadership of Kiran Bedi in New Delhi. She will contest from Krishna Nagar constituency. The party leadership has chosen her as the chief ministerial candidate for the Delhi Assembly election."  

Ms Bedi, in return, told the reporters, "I would like to thank party leadership for showing confidence in me."  Appreciating Bedi's character, Mr Shah said, "Bedi's whole life has been around the people of Delhi. She has dedicated her life to fight against crime and corruption. During her days in the Delhi Police, she gained much trust among people; she has also been a well-known name in social work."

She will fight from Krishna Nagar, a BJP stronghold in the capital city. Sources say that it was Bedi who asked the party to field her from Krishna Nagar as she did not want a direct fight with Arvind Kejriwal from New Delhi constituency.

After her CM candidature was announced, the AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal challenged her for a political debate that would be telecasted on TV and viewed by all. He challenge cam in form of a Tweet. Bedi refuted his challenge by twitting - Arvind only believes in debating and we will debate on the floor of the house.

.@thekiranbedi congrats 4 being nominated as BJP's CM candidate. I invite u 4 a public debate moderated by neutral person n telecast by all
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) January 20, 2015

Kiran Bedi's induction in  the BJP on 15 January gave rise to the rounds of conjecturing that she will be the CM candidate for BJP in the coming Delhi Assembly polls.    

The elections will be held on 7 February and the results will come out on the 10th of the same month. 

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Former Minister and Senior Congress Leader Krishna Tirath Joins BJP

Former Minister and Senior Congress Leader Krishna Tirath Joins BJP

Senior Congress leader and former women and child development minister in the Manmohan Singh government, Krishna Tirath has formally joined the BJP. The senior leader met the BJP president Amit Shah this morning and took the decision that has taken the Congress party as a surprise.

Tirath was one of the most distinguished faces of the Congress in Delhi.  After the conclusion of her meeting with Mr Shah, she said, "This is about ideology. I want to serve people and I have come here with that mindset and that ideology only."

Announcement of Tirath's induction into the BJP came at the same time when Ajay Maken, Congress' election in charge in Delhi, was holding a press conference. Mr Maken accepted that he had just been informed of such development. He said, "It shows the desperation of the BJP, they have to import leaders from other parties because they have no faith in their own leaders."   

Sources say that the Congress leaders, in order to duck the massive embarrassment, are saying that Ms Tirath made this hasty decision in the light of the party denying her a ticket in the coming assembly elections in the capital city.  She contested the general elections last year on a Congress ticket from Delhi and lost to BJP's Udit Raj. 

Ms Krishan Tirath, 59, is the third prominent female leader to join the BJP bandwagon in the last few days; two other leaders being Kiran Bedi and Shazia Ilmi. 

Being a Dalit leader of repute, her exit from Congress is considered to be a big set-back for the party as it is trying to rebuild itself in the capital.

After ruling Delhi for 15 years, the Congress party was almost wiped out in the last assembly elections and was replaced Aam Admi Party as the second most powerful political organization in the city after BJP.  However, due to no party getting a clear-cut majority, fresh elections have been announced. Polling will be done on 7 February, and the results will come out on 10th of the same month.

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Kiran Bedi, Jaya Prada May Soon Join BJP, Decision On Shazia Ilmi Pending

If media sources are to be trusted, former police officer and social worker Kiran Bedi is expected to join the BJP today. However, the induction of actor-turned-politician Jaya Prada hasn't yet been finalized.

 The rumor market is abuzz with the speculation of BJP fielding Kiran or Jaya, a former SP MP, against the AAP supremo Arvind Karriwal from the New Delhi constituency in the coming assembly elections.




 Though, the former AAP member Shazia Ilmi has denied the rumors of her joining the BJP, and contesting the elections against her former boss. It should be noted that the journalist-turned-politician might not have joined the BJP but has shared platforms with the party leaders and is expected to canvass for the party.

Was invited to speak at the National Defence College .Cdnt take media calls. Im not contesting from New Delhi or elsewhere Calm down folks
— shazia ilmi (@shaziailmi) January 14, 2015

Meanwhile, Jaya Prada says that she has been in contact with the BJP think tank for some time and now is ready to join the party. Ms Bedi has not opened her cards yet. She tweeted:

Delhi and Delhites do not deserve this kind of prolonged negativity. The Capital needs integrity wisdom,experience,vision and implementation
— Kiran Bedi (@thekiranbedi) January 15, 2015

Kiran Beadi the first Indian female IPS officer and a prominent member of the erstwhile team Anna, showed her political inclinations towards BJP when Modi announced his arrival at the national level with a thumping majority. It needs to be emphasized that Kejriwal was also a team Anna member, but preferred to part ways with Anna over the issue of launching a political party to which Anna was sternly averse.

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