As the political arena buzzes in the nation’s capital, Delhi gears up for a riveting electoral showdown among the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the Congress candidates, with new entrants poised to make vibrant democratic waves. Having solidified their roster of candidates, the stage is set for an epic clash of visions for this vibrant city. The BJP renews its battlefield with six fresh faces, retaining only Manoj Tiwari, reflecting a tactical change in their line-up. In this strategic partnership, the AAP and Congress have agreed upon a seat-sharing formula, introducing four candidates under the AAP and three from the Congress camp, ready to charge into the political fray.
Sunday brought the spotlight on the trio of Congress candidates, where the star-studded addition of Kanhaiya Kumar, thrusts the North East Delhi seat into the limelight. His face-off against BJP's incumbent MP, Manoj Tiwari, poses a rematch worth watching. Kumar, who previously battled it out in Bihar's Begusarai in 2019, subsequently joined the ranks of the Congress, carving a fresh path in Delhi politics, thanks also in part to seat adjustments within the Communist Party of India (CPI). Additionally, the Congress bets anew on the seasoned Jayaprakash Agarwal from Chandni Chowk, and the revered Dalit leader and former MP, Udit Raj, strengthens their stance from North West Delhi.
'BJP's Clean Sweep in 2019'
With a voter base of 1.47 crore, the 2019 elections saw BJP riding the Modi wave, claiming all seven seats in a remarkable feat. Their candidates surged past the half-way mark in votes, relegating Congress to a runners-up position and pushing the ruling AAP to third place. It was a triangular battle where BJP outshone AAP and Congress by a vast margin of votes. The BJP triumphed with a vote percentage north of 56%, while Congress lingered at 22.5% and AAP at 18.1%, amplifying the switch from 2014's less dominant 46.4% vote share for BJP.
Read More: The significances of the Manoj Tiwari vs Kanhaiya Kumar clash in five pointers
Voting snapshot from 2019
In 2019, BJP led with 53% in Chandni Chowk, 54% in North East Delhi, and 55% in East Delhi. New Delhi saw BJP at 55%, Congress at 27%, and AAP at 16%. BJP scored 60% in West Delhi, with North West and South Delhi rounding out their impressive tally at 56% and 56% respectively. The tug-of-war between emerging political giants and seasoned stalwarts ignites the battle of ballots in Delhi, promising an election to remember. Will the hard-won seats of yesteryear hold firm, or will the winds of change announce a new guard? Stay tuned as this capital drama unfolds.
