Delhi

A defeat in the Delhi assembly elections, as predicted by exit polls, is bound to hit the BJP hard and shatter the aura of invincibility of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, analysts say.

Although the Bharatiya Janata Party has declared that the Delhi outcome cannot be considered a referendum on Modi’s government, few think that it won’t dent his or the ruling party’s shine. The results of the fiercely contested election for the 70-member Delhi assembly will be known Tuesday.

The Aam Aadmi Party today appeared to be on its way to recapture power in the national capital with the party leading in 54 constituencies against 12 of BJP and Congress’s 1 seat.

The trend was available for 69 seats out of total 70 constituencies. AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal was leading in the prestigious New Delhi constituency while BJP’s Chief Ministerial nominee Kiran Bedi was trailing in Krishna Nagar seat, considered a traditional stronghold of the party. Congress’ Ajay Maken was trailing in Sadar Bazar seat.

Counting of ballots for the bitterly-fought Delhi Assembly polls, seen as having significance beyond borders of the capital, began this morning amid tight security.

The electoral fate of former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his challengers from BJP Kiran Bedi and Congress’ Ajay Maken and 670 other candidates will be known today.

Counting of votes is taking place simultaneously at 14 Centres across the city.
Delhi Assembly election result is being seen as an indicator of the popularity of the BJP government at the Centre though the party has rejected this view.

With early trends giving the party a massive lead over BJP, hundreds of AAP supporters broke into boisterous celebrations with their signature poll tune ‘Paanch Saal Kejriwal’ blaring over loudspeakers.

Every lead projected on the massive LCD screens set up at the party office is being cheered loudly by supporters who are proudly waving the party flags along with the tricolour.
Party chief Arvind Kejriwal reached the office early in the morning and is expected to address supporters after the final results are declared.

Delhi High Court today sought responses of the government, the city pollution panel and civic agencies of the national capital on the issue of air pollution here which it has taken up suo motu as a public interest litigation (PIL).

A bench of justices Badar Durrez Ahmed and Sanjeev Sachdeva issued notice to the Centre, Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) and other civic authorities and listed the matter for hearing on February 11, court sources said.

There was respite from cold for Delhiites with the minimum temperature settling at 10.5 degrees Celsius on Monday morning, three notches above normal.

“The minimum temperature was 10.5 degrees Celsius, slightly above yesterday’s 9.3 degrees Celsius,” a MeT official said.

The humidity recorded at 8.30 AM was 88 per cent and the visibility was 1000 metres.

There was shallow fog in some areas during the morning hours, the official said.

According to a Northern Railway official, 15 north-bound trains were running behind schedule.

The weatherman has predicted a clear day ahead.

The video graphed process of counting of votes for the Delhi Assembly polls will take place at 14 centers in nine districts of the national capital tomorrow.

Election commission has made elaborate arrangements for the counting of votes.

As per reports, there is a three tier security for the strong rooms where Electronic Voting machines (EVM) have been kept in 14 locations in the city.

Delhi on Saturday saw a voter turnout of 67.14 percent during polling in the 70 assembly constituencies.

(ANI)

A day after the Delhi assembly polls, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal Sunday told his party volunteers to “relax for two days” till the vote count.

“Volunteers. U did an amazing job. Relax for 2 days. Spend wid(with) ur (your) family. Sleep. Watch movies. Meditate. Chill. God bless u,” Kejriwal said in a tweet.

The party is awaiting the results of the poll coming Tuesday as the exit polls predicted its stunning victory. Delhi saw a turnout of over 67 percent Saturday in voting for its 70-member assembly.

(IANS)

Ajay Maken, who led the Congress poll campaign for the Delhi assembly election, Sunday said the exit polls cannot be dismissed and if the forecast about the party’s performance comes out correct, it will be a matter of concern.

“We cannot dismiss the exit polls. If these turn out to be true, it will be a matter of concern for us,” Maken told IANS.

Exit polls released after Saturday’s voting for the 70-member assembly said the Congress could slide further from the low it recorded in the 2013 assembly elections when it won only eight seats.

Delhi saw a pleasant Sunday with maximum temperature recorded two notches above average for the reason at 24.7 degrees Celsius. The met department has forecast similar Monday after a foggy morning.

“After shallow fog in the morning, skies will be clear Monday,” said an official of India Meteorological Department.

Monday’s maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to hover around 25 and 9 degrees Celsius, respectively.

Minimum temperature Sunday was a notch above season’s average at 9.3 degrees Celsius.

(IANS)

The BJP’s Delhi unit chief Satish Upadhyay Sunday said the party will win by a comfortable majority in the Delhi assembly election under the leadership of Kiran Bedi.

Speaking to reporters after a review meeting on the Bharatiya Janata Party’s performance in Saturday’s election, Upadhyay said the party will form the next government in Delhi.

“We will win by a comfortable majority under the leadership of Kiran Bedi and form the next government in Delhi,” Upadhyay said.

Despite exit polls predicting a victory for the AAP, BJP leaders Sunday expressed hope that the party will win the Delhi assembly election as they had done “positive work” at the grassroots.

A day after Saturday’s polling for the 70-member assembly, the Bharatiya Janata Party held a review meeting to take feedback from party candidates in all the constituencies.

Union minister Nirmala Sitharaman Sunday visited the party’s chief ministerial candidate Kiran Bedi at her residence and told reporters that they were hopeful of winning the assembly polls.

At least 10,000 security personnel, including from the paramilitary forces, have been deployed to guard 20,000 electronic voting machines (EVM) in which the votes cast in Saturday’s Delhi assembly poll remain locked.

The workers of various political party will be allowed in the counting halls Tuesday when results for the 70-member Delhi assembly will be announced, said officials.

“It is a three-tier security for the EVMs. The machines have been kept inside the strong rooms made in nine districts,” said an official of the Election Commission.

A day after exit polls predicted a win for his party, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal Sunday viewed a movie here along with a large number of his party colleagues.

A relaxed Kejriwal went to the Wave cinema at Kaushambhi, about a kilometre from his Girnar Tower apartments, party sources told IANS. “Yes, he saw the film,” police officer Anant Deo told IANS.

While one Aam Aadmi Party leader had said earlier that Kejriwal would view “Baby”, another said he was on his way to see “Shamitabh”.

Delhi’s north-east district witnessed the highest turnout of voters at 69.89 percent in the assembly polls Saturday while the New Delhi district registered the lowest at 64.01 percent, the Election Commission said.

“The highest voter turnout was in northeast district and lowest was in New Delhi,” the poll panel said in a statement.

Delhi’s North East district saw the highest turnout of voters at 69.89 percent in the assembly polls Saturday while the New Delhi district registered the lowest at 64.01 percent, the Election Commission said.

The fiercely fought Delhi assembly elections Saturday saw a record voter turnout of 67.08 percent.

“We are happy to announce this election has been unprecedented in terms of voter turnout. The poll percentage has crossed 67.08 percent,” Chief Electoral Officer Chandra Bhushan Kumar said.

The fiercely fought Delhi assembly election Saturday saw a record voter turnout of 67.08 percent.

“We are happy to announce this election has been unprecedented in terms of voter turnout. The poll percentage has crossed 67.08 percent,” Chief Electoral Officer Chandra Bhushan Kumar said.

After exit polls predicted an AAP victory in Delhi, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal Saturday thanked the people of the city for voting for his party in large numbers.

“My gratitude 2 Delhiites for their support,” he tweeted. “(You are) so amazing. (You) rejected politics of caste and religion. Hope final results (are) as per exit polls.”

He also congratulated all “selfless volunteers of the AAP who worked round the clock for their country. AAP is bcoz of u.”

(IANS)

Determined to make their vote count, the elderly came out
in large numbers to vote in the Delhi assembly elections Saturday – many with walking aids or leaning for support on others in vignettes that are a ringing endorsement of
India’s democracy.

Ninety-three-year old Shankutla Devi, a resident of B.K. Dutt Colony, came to vote
with a younger member holding her arm for support. Devi said that she ensures that
she never misses any election.

“I feel good about voting, Delhi needs a stable government that could last full
five years under a strong leadership,” she told IANS.

AAP leader and strong chief ministerial aspirant Arvind
Kejriwal spent some time in contemplation after casting his vote at B.K. Dutt Colony
Saturday.

After he cast his vote, Kejriwal drove straight to a North Avenue bungalow where one
of the four Aam Aadmi Party MPs lives.

Seated cross-legged on a sofa, Kejriwal chatted with other party leaders gathered
there for some time. Then he slipped into deep reverie – staring into space – for a
while.

Thinking what will the stars foretell – possibly?

-*-

Misleading info on Bedi voting

The national capital witnessed another sunny and pleasant day Saturday as the maximum temperatures settled three notches above the season’s average at 25.6 degrees Celsius. Sunday morning will see light fog and there is possibility of some rain in the afternoon.

“There will be light fog early morning tomorrow (Sunday) and in the afternoon, light rain might occur in some parts of the city,” said an official of the India Meteorological Department.

The minimum and minimum temperatures are likely to hover around 25 and 8 degrees Celsius.

BJP on Saturday condemned the allegations by AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal that it was offering enticements to voters, saying that was a sign of “frustration” within the rival party as the people were “coming out in good numbers” to vote for the saffron outfit.

“People are coming out in good numbers to vote for a stable and effective government and for good governance. Probably that is the reason why there is frustration in Aam Aadmi Party,” Union Minister and senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said here as Delhi voted to choose legislators for its 70-member Assembly.

Keen to boost its membership at a politically difficult time for the party, the Congress has decided to come up with web-based “membership enrolment channel” as well as launching a smart phone-based application.

At a meeting of party’s central election authority (CEA) here, party leaders discussed membership drive and changes that the party needs to make in its process of organisational elections.

Party vice president Rahul Gandhi, who was among leaders present at the meeting, is learnt to have said that organisational elections should not be delayed.

The Congress Friday complained to the Election Commission against BJP, alleging that its leader and union minister Arun Jaitley had campaigned for party’s chief ministerial candidate Kiran Bedi and had violated the model code of conduct.

A Congress release said that the party had complained to complained to the Chief Election Commissioner H.S. Brahma and Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi, about press conference held by Jaitley Friday “to campaign for Kiran Bedi, BJP candidate from Krishna Nagar and also chief ministerial nominee”.

On the eve of Delhi assembly polls, Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid Syed Ahmed Bukhari Friday appealed to Muslims to vote for the AAP. The AAP, however, rejected his “unsolicited” support and questioned its timing.

The BJP accused the Aam Aadmi Party of polarising Delhi on communal lines and questioned whether the party knew beforehand that Bukhari would issue such an appeal.

Delhi goes to the polls Saturday to elect a 70-member assembly. The votes will be counted Feb 10.

Renu Dass, 19, is excited about voting in the Delhi assembly election Saturday. Besides casting her maiden vote, the Delhi University student
is waiting for the dark purple ink mark to be smeared on her finger nail to show off to friends, and maybe Tweet or Facebook a selfie of herself with the marked finger,
as proof.

“As it will be my first time voting opportunity, I will make sure I reach the polling booth early. I In fact want to see how they do it,” Dass told IANS, adding that she would try and take all her friends, first-timers like her, along to vote.