AAP To Bite Dust, BJP Coming to Delhi Power, say Poll Analysts
Agartala, Feb 05, 2025, By Our Correspondent77
Poll analysts have predicted that the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) may lose its grip on power in Delhi, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) gaining an edge following the Assembly elections on Wednesday. Around 60 percent of the 1.56 crore eligible voters participated in the voting process, which took place across 70 constituencies from 7 AM to 6 PM. This turnout was slightly lower than in previous elections, with 62.59 percent voter participation in the 2020 Delhi Assembly polls and only 56 percent in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
The voting process took place peacefully at 13,766 polling stations across the constituencies, where a total of 699 candidates contested for the 70 seats. Prominent figures, including President Droupadi Murmu, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, Union ministers S. Jaishankar and Hardeep Singh Puri, Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, along with Delhi Chief Minister Atishi and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, were among the early voters in this high-stakes election.
The vote counting will take place on February 8, and several exit polls have predicted a potential victory for the BJP, suggesting a possible exit for AAP from power in Delhi. These exit polls indicated that the Congress would make no significant gains from the previous elections. Among the exit polls forecasting a BJP win, the People's Pulse survey projected that the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) could secure between 51 and 60 seats, while AAP would win between 10 and 19 seats. The Congress, according to this poll, was unlikely to open its account.
The People's Insight exit poll predicted that the NDA would secure 40-44 seats, with AAP getting 25-29 seats and Congress securing 0-1 seat. Similarly, the P-Marq poll forecasted 39-49 seats for the BJP and its allies, 21-31 seats for AAP, and 0-1 seat for Congress. The JVC exit poll projected 39-45 seats for the BJP, 22-31 seats for AAP, and 0-2 seats for Congress. The Poll Diary exit poll was also favorable to the BJP, predicting 42-50 seats for the BJP and allies, 18-25 seats for AAP, and 0-2 seats for Congress. The Chankya Strategies poll predicted 39-44 seats for the BJP, 25-28 for AAP, and 2-3 seats for Congress.
On the other hand, two exit polls predicted a potential victory for AAP. Wee Preside projected 46-52 seats for AAP, 18-23 seats for BJP, and 0-1 seat for Congress. Mind Brink Media also favored AAP, forecasting 44-49 seats for the party, 21-25 seats for BJP, and 0-1 seat for Congress. The Matrize exit poll predicted a close contest, with the BJP-led NDA securing 35-40 seats, AAP getting 32-37 seats, and Congress securing 0-1 seat. The DV Research exit poll, meanwhile, projected 36-44 seats for the BJP and allies and 26-34 seats for AAP, giving no seats to Congress.
These exit polls drew reactions from both political parties. AAP leaders dismissed the predictions, claiming that previous exit polls had underestimated AAP's performance in Delhi. AAP's national spokesperson, Reena Gupta, pointed out that in the past, exit polls had often shown AAP winning fewer seats than they eventually secured. Gupta expressed confidence that AAP would outperform the exit polls.
Meanwhile, Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva welcomed the exit poll predictions, asserting that the people of Delhi had already made up their minds in favor of change. He expressed optimism that the AAP would be voted out of power and that the BJP would form a government in Delhi after more than 25 years.