Delhi elections 2025 highlights: LG orders probe into BJP's alleged poaching of AAP candidates

Delhi elections 2025: Ahead of the results (February 8), catch all the poll-related updates here

Delhi elections 2025 LIVE: Delhi LG VK Saxena orders probe by anti-corruption branch into AAP's allegations of attempts by BJP to poach its candidates, says LG office.  Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal accused the BJP on Thursday of attempting to poach his party candidates ahead of the Delhi Assembly poll results on February 8. The BJP dismissed the allegation and threatened legal action.  

In a post on X, Kejriwal claimed that 16 Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidates had received offers from the BJP with the promise of ministerial positions and Rs 15 crore each if they switch sides.

 

Meanwhile, a majority of the polling agencies have predicted BJP's victory in Delhi Assembly elections while relegating AAP to the second spot. The run-up to the polling day (February 5) saw a fierce electoral campaign by both AAP and BJP. While Congress has stepped up its game this time, pollsters believe the party is facing another wipeout in the national capital.

10:40 PM

Delhi assembly polls: 60.54% voter turnout; 50.42 lakh men, 44.08 lakh women cast votes

The Delhi Assembly elections saw a voter turnout of 60.54 per cent, with 94,51,997 people casting their votes on Wednesday, according to the Election Commission of India.

The counting of votes will take place on Saturday. Several exit polls have predicted a victory for the BJP over the ruling AAP while the Congress has been projected to make no significant gains from last elections.

7:57 PM

Delhi election results tomorrow; AAP, BJP in intense battle for glory

Counting of votes for the Delhi assembly polls will take place on Saturday to decide whether the AAP comes to power for a fourth term or the BJP forms a government in the national capital after more than 26 years.

The Congress is also looking for some gains after drawing a blank in the last two elections.

On the eve of the poll results, high political drama unfolded outside AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal's residence as a team of Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) reached there, seeking details and evidence regarding his allegations that the BJP attempted to poach the Aam Aadmi Party candidates.

As Kejriwal did not meet ACB officials at his 5, Ferozeshah Road bungalow, they served him a legal notice seeking proof. The move comes soon after Lt Governor VK Saxena ordered an ACB probe into the matter.

7:28 PM

Delhi Congress submits complaint to NHRC on deportation of 104 Indian immigrants in 'inhumane manner'

The Congress' Delhi unit on Friday submitted a complaint to the chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on the deportation of 104 Indian illegal immigrants from the United States in an "inhumane" manner, the party said.
 

The complaint demanded a probe into the issue and sought directions to the Centre to prevent such incidents in future.

According to a statement, a delegation, on the direction of Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav, pointed out to the National Human Rights Commission chief that the Indian citizens went to the US in search of jobs and "they were not criminals or involved in any criminal activity".

6:47 PM

Delhi polls: Tight security with 10K cops, 38 companies paramilitary at counting centres on Saturday

 A three-tier security arrangement with 10,000 police personnel, including two paramilitary companies per centre, has been put in place for the 19 counting centres ahead of the Delhi Assembly election results on Saturday, officials said.
 

"We have made robust security arrangements (for counting day). Only authorised personnel will be allowed inside the counting centres, where the use of mobile phones will be strictly prohibited," said Special Commissioner of Police Devesh Chandra Srivastava addressing a press conference on securing arrangements for the counting day.

He said that two companies of paramilitary forces would be deployed at each of the counting centre while the Delhi Police personnel will check security outside these centres.

5:47 PM

Arvind Kejriwal claims EC refusing to upload Form 17C data; AAP launches website for 'transparency'

On the eve of counting of votes for the Assembly elections in Delhi, AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Friday alleged that the Election Commission (EC) has refused to upload Form 17C, which contains details of votes polled per booth in each Assembly segment, despite multiple requests from the party.
 

In response, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has launched a website where it has uploaded Form 17C data for all the Assembly seats, he said.

In a post on X, Kejriwal said, "This form contains all details of votes polled at each booth. Throughout the day, we will present data for every Assembly and every booth in a tabulated format so that every voter can access this information." Criticising the apex poll body, Kejriwal said ensuring such transparency should have been its responsibility.

4:34 PM

Delhi Elections 2025 LIVE: Check key constituencies and candidates

Constituency	AAP candidate	BJP candidate	Congress candidate
New Delhi	Arvind Kejriwal	Parvesh Verma	Sandeep Dikshit
Kalkaji	Atishi	Ramesh Bidhuri	Alka Lamba
Jangpura	Manish Sisodia	Tarvinder Singh Marwah	Farhad Suri
Patparganj	Avadh Ojha	Ravindra Singh Negi	Anil Chaudhuri
Greater Kailash	Saurabh Bharadwaj	Shikha Rai	Garvit Singhvi
Malviya Nagar	Somnath Bharti	Satish Upadhyay	Jitendra Kumar Kochar
Ballimaran	Imran Hussain	Kamal Bagri	Haroon Yusuf
Okhla	Amanatullah Khan	Braham Singh	Ariba Khan
Rohini	Pradeep Mittal	Vijender Gupta	Sumesh Gupta

3:34 PM

AAP confident of winning over 50 seats, says Gopal Rai after candidates' reports

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Gopal Rai on Friday expressed confidence that the party would secure more than 50 seats in the Delhi elections. His statement was based on ground reports shared by AAP candidates during a meeting held ahead of the vote counting on Saturday.  

 

During the meeting, AAP’s national convenor Arvind Kejriwal asserted that the party was on track to form the government in Delhi. He also accused the opposition of using exit polls as a psychological tool to exert pressure and implement ‘Operation Lotus.’

1:50 PM

LG Saxena orders probe into BJP's alleged poaching of AAP candidates

Delhi Lt Governor V K Saxena on Friday ordered an anti corruption branch (ACB) probe into allegations by AAP leaders that the BJP had attempted to poach its candidates, officials said. The direction to the chief secretary came in response to a representation by Delhi BJP general secretary Vishnu Mittal to the LG's office. Kejriwal on Thursday accused the BJP of attempting to poach 16 party candidates ahead of the Delhi Assembly poll results on February 8.

 

11:35 AM

Delhi Elections 2025 LIVE: BJP’s Virendra Sachdeva slams AAP’s Sanjay Singh over ‘Operation Lotus’ claim

Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva lashed out at AAP leader Sanjay Singh, stating, "Sanjay Singh and other AAP leaders have lost their mental stability after witnessing their impending defeat in the Delhi Assembly elections. He should be prepared to face legal action, as we will lodge a complaint with the Anti-Corruption Bureau."  

 

The statement follows Sanjay Singh’s allegation that the BJP attempted to lure seven AAP candidates with monetary offers ahead of the poll results on February 8.

11:19 AM

Delhi Elections 2025 Live: AAP’s Sanjay Singh hits back at BJP

AAP MP Sanjay Singh responded to BJP Delhi president Virendra Sachdeva’s remark about involving the Anti-Corruption Bureau, saying, "Let them proceed… one of our ministers has also shared a number. A probe should be conducted by the Anti-Corruption Bureau or any other agency."  

 

His statement comes after the Aam Aadmi Party alleged that the BJP attempted to "poach" its candidates ahead of the Delhi election results.

11:09 AM

Congress unlikely to cross double digits, questions exit poll accuracy

Exit polls indicate a challenging road ahead for Congress in this election, despite its last-minute push to regain ground.  While the party may secure victory in a few constituencies, the bigger concern is whether it can reclaim a significant share of the assembly vote.  

 

Abhishek Dutt, Congress candidate from Kasturba Nagar, dismissed the exit poll figures, arguing that the party has performed better at the grassroots level. He claimed that voters are disillusioned with AAP’s governance and that Arvind Kejriwal is no longer Delhi’s most popular leader. "In my constituency, the contest is directly between Congress and BJP, so the question of splitting AAP’s votes does not arise," he asserted.

9:41 AM

Delhi Elections 2025: 70 strong rooms secured for vote counting on February 8

The Delhi election office has established 19 counting centres across the city to facilitate the vote tallying process on February 8.  

 

Chief Electoral Officer R Alice Vaz confirmed on Thursday that electronic voting machines (EVMs) have been placed in 70 strong rooms, each designated for one assembly constituency, with multiple layers of security at all 19 locations.  

 

The EVMs, which hold votes cast by over 60 per cent of Delhi’s 15.6 million electorate, were transported under strict security from polling stations to the strong rooms shortly after voting concluded on Wednesday. Officials stated that the machines would be systematically brought to counting tables on Saturday under the close supervision of counting staff and security forces.

9:01 AM

BJP reviews voting for Delhi polls, says will win around 50 seats

The BJP on Thursday reviewed voting for the Delhi Assembly polls and asserted to win around 50 seats. Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said that people voted on Wednesday to join Prime Minister Narendra Modi's double-engine development of the city.