BJP Set To Win Delhi Assembly: Kejriwal, Sisodia Face Defeat, Atishi Sails Through Saffron Tsunami

New Delhi: With BJP set to secure a two-third majority in the Delhi Assembly as it leads in 48 out of 70 seats after a hiatus of 27 years, AAP chief and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal lost his New Delhi seat to BJP’s Parvesh Verma. At the end of the 14th round of counting, Kejriwal is trailing by over 4000 votes according to the data available on Election Commission of India website. Celebrations have already started in the BJP camp. Verma, the son of another former Chief Minister Saheb Singh Verma, was seen showing victory signs to his supporters gathered outside the counting centre. As of 1.30pm, AAP is leading in 22 seats.

“Will bring Modi’s vision to Delhi”

“This govt which is going to be formed in Delhi will bring PM Modi’s vision to Delhi. I give credit for this victory to PM Modi. I thank the people of Delhi. This is the victory of PM Modi and the people of Delhi,” Verma told reporters. Kejriwal has held the New Delhi seat since 2013, when he beat Congress stalwart and then Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit to herald AAP’s decade-long rule of Delhi. The IAS-turned-politician rose to prominence with the anti-corruption movement led by Anna Hazare. But his possible defeat comes at a time when is battling corruption charges linked to the controversial Delhi Excise policy and the ‘Sheesh Mahal’ controversy. He had won the high-profile seat in the 2015 and 2020 polls with hefty margins.

Sisodia defeated, Atishi saves her Kalkaji seat

Kejriwal’s former deputy, Manish Sisodia, lost to his contender in Jangpura. At the end of the 10^th and the final round of counting, Sisodia was trailing by over 600 votes to Tarwinder Singh Marwah of BJP, the ECI website stated. Even as the big guns of AAP failed to save their seats, outgoing Delhi Chief Minister and AAP’s Atishi managed to save her Kalkaji seat by defeating BJP’s Ramesh Bidhuri. At the end of the 12^th and final round of voting, the ECI website showed her leading with over 3,000 votes.