New Delhi: Congress President Sonia Gandhi today exercised her franchise in the Delhi Assembly polls in which her party is facing a tough battle to regain lost ground. Gandhi cast her vote at a polling booth in Nirman Bhavan in Central Delhi at 9:35 AM. When asked to comment on the polls, she said, “Whatever the people want will happen.” The Congress, which ruled Delhi for 15 years, faced a crushing defeat in the 2013 polls as it managed to get only eight seats in the 70-member Assembly. The party is not seen as a serious contender for power in the polls.
Gandhi was accompanied by former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, Delhi Congress President Arvinder Singh Lovely and former Delhi Minister Kiran Walia, who is contesting from the New Delhi constituency. AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal had trounced Dikshit in the New Delhi Constituency by over 22,000 votes in 2013 polls. “Congress is putting up a tough fight. We are confident of a good performance,” Dikshit said when asked about the polls.
After casting his vote Congress’ face for Delhi polls Ajay Maken said the party will never extend or take support from AAP if such a situation arises. “We will never ever give support to AAP again,” said Maken. The Congress had extended outside support to AAP to form a government after the 2013 polls. The Arvind Kejriwal-led government quit after remaining in power for 49 days. Vice President Hamid Ansari and Delhi’s Chief Electoral Officer Chandra Bhushan Kumar were also among the first few to cast their votes.
The Chief Electoral Officer hoped that people will vote in large number to create a new record. Ansari reached New Delhi constituency’s polling booth at Nirman Bhavan at around 8:30 AM.
