MCD poll results: BJP leading, Congress trails at third position

The early trend of the counting for Delhi Municipal Corporation (MCD), which began earlier today, shows the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the lead, followed by the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) at second place and the Congress party at third.

The initial figures show that the BJP is leading in 109 wards, the AAP in 28 and the Congress in 22 .

The fierce triangular competition has put on stake reputation of the three major parties on stake.

Where the BJP will be fighting against anti-incumbency, the Congress will be jostling for a comeback and for AAP, it will save its image post Goa and Punjab poll debacle.

Pollsters have predicted a big win for the BJP, while the AAP and the Congress have been shown competing for a distant second spot.

Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari earlier in the day expressed confidence of a 'landslide victory' in the MCD elections.

"Today's morning is important for BJP Delhi. I believe people will be happy with today's mandate. Entire country along with the PM is moving towards cleanliness campaign. Delhi needs special attention in cleanliness campaign. People's mandate will come today and everybody should accept that," he told the media after offering prayers ahead of the counting.

The Congress party also seemed sure about winning the civic polls and said that it would teach the BJP a lesson.

"We have really worked hard and I do hope that we will do very well in this election.The grassroot workers are with us.We will teach opposition parties a lesson this time," Congress leader Sharmishtha Mukherjee told ANI.

The counting of votes for the Delhi Municipal Corporation (MCD) elections began at 8 AM today.

Votes for the elections will be counted at 35 centers across the city. Of these, 16 are in North Delhi, 13 in the South, and six in East Delhi.

As many as 90,000 security personnel of Delhi Police, paramilitary forces and Home Guards have been deployed at the counting centres.

The counting will go on till late in the day, but initial trends are expected to come in by 11 a.m.

Voting to pick three new municipal corporations in Delhi took place on Sunday, in which 54 percent of the 1.32 crore electorates exercised their franchise till 5.30 p.m.when polling ended in 270 out of the 272 wards of the three municipal corporations.