The latest exit poll by India Today-Axis My India indicates that incumbent BJP MP Manoj Tiwari is on track to hold his North East Delhi seat, facing off against Congress rival Kanhaiya Kumar.
The North East Delhi Lok Sabha constituency has emerged as a battleground for a high-stakes clash between BJP’s Manoj Tiwari and Congress’ Kanhaiya Kumar, the former president of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU).
Contestants from Bihar
Both Tiwari and Kumar, originating from Bihar, have launched intense campaigns in a constituency with a significant Purvanchali population from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
Kanhaiya Kumar has sought to leverage a decade's worth of anti-incumbency sentiment against Tiwari.
The India Today-Axis My India exit poll results are based on comprehensive interviews with 5.8 lakh voters across all 543 parliamentary constituencies.
Tiwari’s Unbroken Winning Streak
Manoj Tiwari has been the representative for the North East Delhi since the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Tiwari first won this seat when he defeated Congress' Jai Prakash Agarwal in 2014.
Notably, in the 2019 general elections, Tiwari secured a famous victory over (late) senior Congress leader and three-time Delhi CM Sheila Dixit.
Notably, Tiwari is the only MP among the seven BJP representatives from the National Capital to be re-nominated for the 2024 elections.
Kanhaiya Kumar’s Political Journey
In 2019, Kanhaiya Kumar contested the Begusarai seat in Bihar under the Communist Party of India banner but was defeated by BJP's Union Minister Giriraj Singh.
Kumar later joined Congress and is now vying for the North East Delhi seat against Tiwari.
Congress-AAP Alliance
The Congress has not won a Lok Sabha seat in Delhi for the past decade and is aiming to change that in the 2024 elections.
In a strategic move, Congress and AAP are jointly contesting all seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi, with AAP fielding candidates in four constituencies and Congress in three.
This coalition underscores the fierce competition and strategic maneuvering in the race for Delhi’s parliamentary representation.
