Delhi Polls: Voting begins to decide fate of 699 candidates

Delhi Polls: Voting for the single-phase Assembly elections in the national capital began at 7 AM on Wednesday across all 70 constituencies and will continue until 6 PM. The crucial electoral battle will determine the fate of major political players, including the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Congress.

According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), approximately 1.56 crore registered voters are eligible to cast their ballots at 13,766 polling stations across the national capital. The voter demographic includes 83.76 lakh men, 72.36 lakh women, and 1,267 third-gender voters. To cast their votes, electors must carry their Election Photo Identity Card (EPIC) or any other approved government-issued identification such as Aadhaar.

To ensure a smooth and secure electoral process, authorities have deployed 220 paramilitary companies, 19,000 home guards, and 35,626 Delhi Police personnel across the city. The counting of votes is scheduled for February 8.

A total of 699 candidates are contesting the election. Both AAP and Congress have fielded 70 candidates each, while BJP has nominated 68 candidates, leaving two seats for its allies—JD(U) and LJP. A high-stakes battle is expected in the New Delhi constituency, where AAP chief and former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is seeking re-election. His challengers include BJP’s Parvesh Sahib Singh and Congress’s Sandeep Dikshit, both sons of former Delhi Chief Ministers.

In Kalkaji, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi from AAP is contesting against Congress leader Alka Lamba and BJP’s Ramesh Bidhuri. Meanwhile, AAP leader Manish Sisodia is in the fray for the Jangpura seat, facing BJP’s Tarvinder Singh Marwah and Congress’s Farhad Suri.

The election campaign witnessed intense efforts from top political leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, and Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

Also Read: Photostory: Rallying for votes – Delhi’s political battleground heats up

In the 2020 elections, AAP secured a landslide victory, winning 62 out of 70 seats, while BJP won eight. Congress failed to secure a single seat. However, this time, AAP faces anti-incumbency pressure and corruption allegations, making the contest more unpredictable.

With voting underway, the city awaits the results that will shape its political future.