New Delhi: Halting the Narendra Modi juggernaut, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was today headed for a landslide victory in the Delhi Assembly elections in a sweep that pulverised the BJP and decimated the Congress. The AAP was leading in a staggering 66 seats in the 70-member assembly with its its nearest rival BJP far behind at a paltry 3 seats. Congress, which ruled the national capital for 15 years till December 2013, may not even open its account while the INLD was ahead in one seat.
In an election that was billed as a referendum on Prime Minister Narendra Modi but rejected by BJP as such, the AAP wave spearheaded by its chief Arvind Kejriwal knocked the two major parties and their veterans from their citadels. In all the assembly elections that followed the spectacular victory in the May Lok Sabha polls, the BJP formed governments in Maharastra, Haryana, Jharkhand and emerged the second largest party in Jammu and Kashmir with highest vote share.
AAP chief Kejriwal was leading in the prestigious New Delhi constituency while BJP’s Chief Ministerial nominee Kiran Bedi was leading by 800 votes in Krishna Nagar seat, considered a traditional stronghold of the party. Congress’ Chief Ministerial candidate Ajay Maken was trailing in Sadar Bazar seat.
As the voting trends trickled in showing a massive landslide for AAP, Modi called Kejriwal over phone to congratulate him on the victory. He assured Kejriwal of Centre’s complete support in the development of Delhi. Bedi also congratulated Kejriwal saying “full marks to Arvind.” Maken, whose party has been decimated in the elections, resigned as Congress General Secretary taking full responsibility for the debacle.
