Delhi Election Concluded | Aakhir Tak

Delhi Election: Allegations, 58% Voter Turnout

Amid sluggish voting for Delhi’s 70 Assembly seats on Wednesday, tensions flared between the ruling AAP and the BJP as they traded accusations of cash distribution and voter fraud at polling stations. This Delhi election is seeing a flurry of accusations. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is seeking a third consecutive term, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) aims to unseat the incumbent government, and the Congress is hoping for a political resurgence in the national capital.

In Jangpura, AAP leader Manish Sisodia confronted Delhi Police, alleging that cash was being distributed in a building to influence voters. On the other hand, the BJP accused AAP of electoral malpractice in Seelampur, claiming that “women in burqas” were casting fake votes at the polling station. The security arrangements in this Delhi election are stringent.

The Delhi Police denied allegations of voter fraud and stated that claims of cash distribution during polling could be verified. Addressing accusations of fraudulent voting in Seelampur, police clarified that the confusion stemmed from two voters with similar names and a shared address. In Chirag Delhi, an altercation was reported between a senior police official and Delhi’s Health Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj over barricading in the area.

Polling got off to a slow start before it picked up after noon. As of 5 pm, a voter turnout of 57.78 percent was recorded. Several people, including AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, President Droupadi Murmu and others, cast their votes. All parties have made numerous promises to woo voters in this Delhi election.

AAP, led by Arvind Kejriwal, is banking on its governance record and welfare schemes as it seeks to retain power. The BJP, determined to reclaim Delhi after over 25 years, has mounted an aggressive campaign, accusing AAP of corruption and misgovernance. Meanwhile, the Congress, which failed to win a single seat in the last two elections, is striving to make a comeback.

All parties have announced a slew of welfare schemes to woo voters. The AAP has promised free bus rides for students, insurance for auto and taxi drivers, and a monthly financial aid of Rs 18,000 for temple priests and gurdwara granthis. The BJP has pledged Rs 21,000 financial assistance for pregnant women and subsidized LPG cylinders at Rs 500. Meanwhile, the Congress has vowed to provide a Rs 8,500 monthly unemployment benefit.

Kejriwal is contesting from the New Delhi Assembly seat against BJP’s Parvesh Verma and Congress’s Sandeep Dikshit. In Kalkaji, Chief Minister Atishi faces a tough battle against BJP’s Ramesh Bidhuri and Congress’s Alka Lamba. Sisodia, who has shifted from Patparganj to Jangpura, is up against BJP’s Tarvinder Singh Marwah and Congress’s Farhad Suri.

To ensure smooth voting, multiple layers of security have been deployed across the city. The Election Commission has stationed 220 companies of paramilitary forces, 35,626 Delhi Police personnel and 19,000 home guards. Nearly 3,000 polling booths have been identified as sensitive, with special security measures such as drone surveillance in place.

Delhi Voting: AAP Alleges Cash Distribution, BJP Claims Fraud

Voting for Delhi’s 70 Assembly seats is underway. The start was slow, with voter turnout at 19.9 percent as of 11 am, amid allegations of fake voting and illegal cash distributions. This Delhi election is a triangular contest between the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), seeking a third consecutive term, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), aiming to unseat the incumbent government, and the Congress, hoping for a political resurgence in the national capital.

During the election, tempers flared in Chirag Delhi as an altercation was reported between a senior police official and Delhi’s Health Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj over barricading. Manish Sisodia alleged that money was being distributed at a building in Jangpura. On the other hand, BJP has alleged fraud voting in the Seelampur constituency. BJP claimed that “women wearing burqa” engaged in fake voting. Allegations are flying in this Delhi election.

Over 1.56 crore eligible voters will decide the fate of 699 candidates across all 70 constituencies. The election is being held under tight security. The campaign was dominated by debates on governance, corruption allegations, voter list tampering, law and order, and promises of freebies. The counting of votes is scheduled for February 8.

Key Parties and Their Strategies

AAP, led by Arvind Kejriwal, is banking on its governance record and welfare schemes. The BJP, determined to reclaim Delhi after over 25 years, has mounted an aggressive campaign, accusing AAP of corruption and misgovernance. Meanwhile, the Congress, which failed to win a single seat in the last two elections, is striving to make a comeback.

For AAP, the campaign was spearheaded by Kejriwal and Chief Minister Atishi, who led rallies across the city. This election is particularly crucial for Kejriwal, who resigned in September last year after being released on bail in the liquor policy scam. He is now seeking a mandate to return to the top post by regaining voters’ trust. The BJP’s campaign, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and party president JP Nadda, focused on attacking AAP over alleged corruption, law and order, and governance failures. Key issues raised by the party included the liquor policy scam, unfulfilled promises, and the extravagant renovation of the Chief Minister’s residence. The Congress, with Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi leading its charge, put up a spirited fight, targeting both AAP and BJP on various fronts. All parties have announced a slew of welfare schemes to woo voters.

A Shower of Promises

AAP has promised free bus rides for students, insurance for auto and taxi drivers, and a monthly financial aid of Rs 18,000 for temple priests and gurdwara granthis. The BJP has pledged Rs 21,000 financial assistance for pregnant women and subsidized LPG cylinders at Rs 500. Meanwhile, the Congress has vowed to provide an Rs 8,500 monthly unemployment benefit. Towards the end of the campaign, AAP accused the BJP-led Haryana government of “poisoning Yamuna water,” drawing sharp reactions from the BJP. The market for promises is hot in this Delhi election.

Collision of Key Candidates

AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal is contesting from the New Delhi Assembly seat against BJP’s Parvesh Verma and Congress’ Sandeep Dikshit. In Kalkaji, Chief Minister Atishi faces a tough battle against BJP’s Ramesh Bidhuri and Congress’ Alka Lamba. Former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who has been shifted from Patparganj to Jangpura, is up against BJP’s Tarvinder Singh Marwah and Congress’ Farhad Suri.

AAP first came to power in December 2013 with Congress’ support in a hung Assembly. However, Kejriwal resigned after just 49 days, citing an inability to pass the Jan Lokpal Bill. In the subsequent elections of 2015 and 2020, AAP secured landslide victories, winning 67 and 62 seats, respectively, while the BJP was reduced to single digits. The Congress failed to open its account in both elections. Historically, Delhi’s political landscape has shifted dramatically. For instance, the Congress party dominated for many years before AAP’s rise.

Security Arrangements

To ensure smooth voting, multiple layers of security have been deployed across the city. The Election Commission has stationed 220 companies of paramilitary forces, 35,626 Delhi Police personnel, and 19,000 home guards. Nearly 3,000 polling booths have been identified as sensitive, with special security measures such as drone surveillance in place. Polling observers are also present at various locations to monitor the process and ensure fairness.