Delhi Election: As the Congress party failed to secure a seat in the 2025 state Assembly elections for the third consecutive time, all its offices, including the headquarters in Delhi, wore a deserted look from the morning.
The Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) office remained locked, and the old Indian National Congress (INC) headquarters on Akbar Road was equally deserted, with only a few media personnel present. Even the party’s new headquarters, inaugurated in January this year at Indira Bhawan on Kotla Marg, exuded an eerie silence.
Leaders remain hopeful amid losses
However, Delhi Congress President Devender Yadav had earlier in the morning said, “We have worked hard, and we will win. Exit polls might not have favoured us, but we trust our hard work.”
Yadav, the candidate from the Badli constituency, was leading in the morning but later began trailing. He fell behind BJP’s Ahir Deepak Chaudhary and AAP’s Ajesh Yadav.
The last time Congress won a seat in Delhi was in the 2013 Assembly elections when it secured eight seats. In the subsequent elections of 2015 and 2020, the party failed to win a single seat.
Also read: Delhi Assembly Election 2025: AAP faces electoral rout as BJP takes control of the Capital
Major Congress leaders face defeat
This time, several prominent Congress leaders also suffered defeats. Abhishek Dutt lost from Kasturba Nagar to BJP’s Neeraj Basoya, while Sandeep Dikshit, son of former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, was defeated by BJP’s Parvesh Sahib Singh and AAP’s Arvind Kejriwal in New Delhi.
Farhad Suri lost in Janakpuri to BJP’s Tarvinder Singh Marwah and AAP’s Manish Sisodia, whereas former DPCC President Anil Chaudhary was defeated in Patparganj by BJP’s Ravinder Singh Negi and AAP’s Avadh Ojha.
Most Congress candidates finished third, trailing behind the BJP or AAP. In some constituencies, they even ranked fourth, behind AIMIM, particularly in Muslim-dominated segments where AIMIM fielded candidates.
Congress reacts to the defeat
Congress Member of Parliament (MP) Jairam Ramesh said that the 2025 Delhi state Assembly election results reflect nothing more than a referendum on Arvind Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party.
“After all, at the height of the PM’s popularity in 2015 and 2020, AAP had won decisively in Delhi. This shows that, rather than being a vindication of the policies of the PM, this vote is a rejection of Arvind Kejriwal’s politics of deceit, deception, and vastly exaggerated claims of achievement,” he wrote on X.
“The Indian National Congress took the lead in highlighting the various scams that have occurred under Arvind Kejriwal, and voters have pronounced their judgement on his twelve years of misrule. The Congress was expecting to do better. It has, however, increased its vote share. The campaign of the Congress was vigorous. It may not be in the Assembly, but it is definitely a presence in Delhi, a presence that will be expanded electorally with the sustained efforts of lakhs of Congress workers. There will be a Congress government once again in Delhi in 2030,” he added.
Sandeep Dikshit takes responsibility
Congress candidate from the New Delhi constituency, Sandeep Dikshit, on Saturday accepted defeat and acknowledged that he was solely responsible for the humiliating loss.
Taking to social media platform X, Dikshit, son of three-time Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, wrote that he had failed to live up to the expectations of Delhi voters.
“I, and only I, am personally responsible for this humiliating defeat from the New Delhi seat. The Delhi voter wanted change, and I failed to live up to this sentiment,” his post read.
Dikshit also expressed gratitude towards the party and its supporters.
“I heartily thank all the workers and the many volunteers who worked day and night in this election. I am very grateful to those who voted for Congress even today. Although I did not get the votes of many, I am especially thankful to the people of New Delhi for the love and respect they gave me during the elections,” the post further read.
A slight uptick in vote share
The Congress vote share has seen a gradual decline over the years. It fell from 40.31 per cent in 2008 (the last time Congress formed a government in Delhi) to 24.55 per cent in 2013, 9.7 per cent in 2015, and 4.3 per cent in 2020. However, there has been a slight increase in 2025, with the party securing 6.34 per cent of the votes.
Congress acknowledges defeat
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said he believes that more hard work is to be done by the Grand Old Party. “Every leader and worker of Congress united and worked hard in adverse circumstances, but still more hard work and struggle is required,” he said, in a post on X
“In the Delhi Assembly elections, the Congress party created an atmosphere against the government in the public interest, but the public did not give us the mandate which was expected. We accept public opinion,” the post read.
The senior leader added that the party will continue to raise various issues in Delhi. “In the coming days, we will continue to raise issues of pollution, Yamuna cleaning, electricity, roads, water and development in Delhi and will remain connected with the public,” it added.
He also expressed gratitude to party workers. “Heartfelt thanks to all the Congress workers of the state for their dedication and to all the voters for their support.”
He added that the fight will continue. “This fight for Delhi’s progress and the rights of Delhiites will continue—against pollution, inflation, and corruption.”
