Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party appears set to win the Delhi state elections, ending a 27-year drought for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the capital, according to voter exit polls.
A composite “poll of polls” projects the BJP winning 43 seats, with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) trailing at 26 and the Congress securing just one. Some individual polls suggest a tighter contest, and the AAP has dismissed the predictions, citing past instances where exit polls underestimated its support.
A defeat for the AAP would be a major blow to its leader, Arvind Kejriwal, who rode an anti-corruption wave to power in 2015. His governance model, focused on public welfare schemes, had cemented AAP’s popularity. However, allegations of corruption and the jailing of Kejriwal and key ministers have rocked his second term.
The BJP, which campaigned aggressively in Delhi, sees this potential victory as another boost after securing Maharashtra and Haryana post the May 2024 general elections. Official results will be announced on Saturday.
