BJP poised to end AAP’s decade-long rule in Delhi on Feb 8?
A voter casting his vote at a polling booth during the Delhi Assembly Election 2025 in New Delhi on February 05, 2025.
A voter casting his vote at a polling booth during the Delhi Assembly Election 2025 in New Delhi on February 05, 2025. (Picture: PIB)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) appears set to win the Delhi state elections, according to voter exit polls, marking a potential end to the party’s 27-year drought in the national capital. If the projections hold, the BJP will reclaim the Delhi assembly, ending the nearly decade-long rule of the reformist Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). In the 2020 elections, AAP won 62 seats, leaving the BJP with just eight.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Meanwhile, AAP leaders claimed that BJP is offering Rs 15 crores to their MLAs asking them to join the BJP party ahead of the Delhi Assembly election results on February 8, 2025. Many exit polls predict the BJP will secure an easy victory in assembly seats, with AAP trailing with a big margin. The secular Congress party, once a dominant force in Delhi, is projected to win just one seat. However, some individual polls suggest a tighter contest, and AAP has dismissed the exit poll results, claiming they have historically underestimated the party’s performance.
A defeat for AAP would be a significant blow to the party and its leader, Arvind Kejriwal, who rose to prominence as an anti-corruption activist and swept to power in Delhi in 2015. Kejriwal founded AAP in 2012, positioning it as a crusade for the aam aadmi (common man) and promising to improve basic services such as healthcare, electricity, water, and education.
The party’s symbol, a broom, reflects its pledge to “sweep away” corruption. However, AAP’s second term has been marred by allegations of graft, which have tarnished its image. Kejriwal and two of his closest ministers were jailed for extended periods over a now-scrapped liquor policy, which central investigative agencies alleged involved kickbacks from liquor businesses. AAP has denied the charges, calling them a political vendetta by the BJP.
BJP’s Scathing Attack
The BJP, meanwhile, has campaigned aggressively in Delhi, with Prime Minister Modi leading the charge. The party has sought to capitalize on AAP’s controversies, including the construction of a lavish chief minister’s residence, which the BJP dubbed the Sheeshmahal (Palace of Mirrors).
A BJP victory in Delhi would provide a significant boost to the party following its relatively underwhelming performance in the May 2024 general elections, where it fell short of an outright majority and formed a coalition government. Since then, the BJP has scored victories in Maharashtra and Haryana, and a win in Delhi would further cement its resurgence.
The campaign saw all three major parties—BJP, AAP, and Congress—vying for votes with promises of freebies, including free water, electricity, and cash incentives. AAP’s governance model, centered on popular public welfare schemes, had won widespread support in the past. However, the corruption allegations and internal turmoil have eroded its standing with voters.
The official election results will be announced on Saturday. If the exit polls prove accurate, the BJP’s victory in Delhi would mark a turning point in the capital’s political landscape and signal a potential shift in voter sentiment. For AAP, the loss would be a stark reminder of the challenges it faces in maintaining its anti-establishment image while expanding its national presence.
As Delhi awaits the final results, the focus remains on whether the BJP can deliver on its promises and whether AAP can recover from this potential setback. For now, the exit polls suggest a decisive shift in favor of the BJP, ending AAP’s decade-long dominance in the national capital.
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