Over 1.56 crore voters are set to seal the fate of the Delhi Assembly polls as all 70 Assembly constituencies will vote in a single phase on Wednesday from 7 a.m. onwards with 13,766 polling stations set up at 2,696 polling locations.
A total of 699 candidates are contesting, with the Aam Aadmi Party and Congress fielding candidates in all 70 seats. In comparison, the Bharatiya Janata Party has nominated 68 candidates, leaving two seats for its allies, JD(U) and LJP.
In the high-profile New Delhi constituency, where AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal is seeking re-election, the BJP and Congress have fielded Parvesh Sahib Singh and Sandeep Dikshit, sons of former Chief Ministers.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is making a strong push to regain control of the national capital after more than 25 years. Throughout its campaign, the party has targeted the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) over alleged corruption charges against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and other leaders.
The BJP has also criticised AAP for failing to clean the Yamuna River, mismanaging landfills, and not adhering to Solid Waste Management Bylaws. Senior BJP leaders, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, party president J.P. Nadda and several chief ministers, actively campaigned until the last day.
More than 30,000 police personnel and 220 companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed across Delhi for the February 5 Assembly polls, an official said on Monday.
While addressing a press conference, Special Commissioners of Police (Law and Order) Madhup Tewari (Zone-II) and Ravindra Yadav (Zone-I) outlined the preparations for the elections.
“All Delhi Police personnel are committed to ensuring free, fair, and peaceful elections. The pre-poll arrangements have already been made,” Special CP Ravindra Yadav said.
On the eve of the assembly elections, leaders from both AAP and BJP turned to religious sites, seeking divine blessings for electoral success. AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal visited the Hanuman Temple at Connaught Place with his wife and children, praying for the victory of “truth,” while Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva offered prayers at the Jagannath Temple in Hauz Khas.
Later, Kejriwal accompanied by Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, met the Election Commission, alleging that BJP and the police were creating an atmosphere of fear to suppress voter turnout. Speaking to the media, he claimed that BJP “goons” might mark voters’ fingers with black ink to prevent them from casting their ballots.
Responding to the allegation, the BJP dismissed Kejriwal’s accusations and alleged that its councillor Alka Raghav and party workers were attacked in Laxmi Nagar.
With inputs from agencies
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Delhi goes to polls in 70 Assembly seats today amid tight security
