BJP downplays exit polls, hopes to win in Delhi

Despite the exit polls predicting a majority for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the Delhi Assembly polls, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday expressed hope that the final result would be in its favour.

"The result will have to come on the 10th. We are hopeful that the result will go in our favour and we will wait for it," said BJP leader and Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman.

Sitharaman also downplayed media queries whether her party's move to declare the chief ministerial candidate and manifesto quite late as compared to the other parties would prove to be a setback for the BJP this time.

"Even during the Lok Sabha polls, this kind of a question was asked of us. We brought in the manifesto when we were ready for it. These are things which a political party does based on its own working time, schedule, the calendar....and so many other facts that have to be taken into consideration," Sitharaman told the media after her meeting with BJP's chief ministerial candidate Kiran Bedi.

The Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP may return to power once again in the national capital, according to various exit polls.

The exit polls have predicted the second place for the Bharatiya Janata Party while the Congress may end up a distant third.

67.08 percent voter turnout was recorded in the polling for the 70-member Delhi Assembly. A total of 673 candidates are in the fray this time.

AAP's chief ministerial candidate Arvind Kejriwal is seeking re-election from the New Delhi Assembly seats, while BJP's chief ministerial candidate has contested from Krishna Nagar.

The Congress, which had ruled the national capital for 15 years, has fielded its chief ministerial candidate Ajay Maken from Sadar Bazaar.