Delhi Assembly elections 2025: What happens in case of hung assembly?

2025 Delhi Assembly elections: Exit polls see a decisive victory for BJP, but AAP has always defied expectations

The 2025 Delhi Assembly elections are shaping up to be a three-way battle between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Congress. With AAP seeking a third consecutive term, the BJP aiming to regain control, and Congress attempting a revival, the contest is expected to be intense.

 

With multiple political parties battling for dominance, there is a possibility that no single party or alliance may secure an absolute majority. In such a case, Delhi could face a hung assembly - a situation where no party has enough seats to form a government on its own.

 

 

What is a hung assembly?

A hung assembly occurs when no political party or alliance wins more than half the seats required to form a government. In Delhi’s case, with 70 assembly seats, a party or alliance needs at least 36 seats for a simple majority. If no party reaches this number, the responsibility to form a government falls on the Lieutenant Governor, who follows a specific process:

 

1. Inviting the single-largest party

 

The Lt Governor invites the leader of the party with the most seats to form the government. The party is given around 10 days to prove its majority by securing support from other parties or independent MLAs. 

 

2. Seeking external support

 

If a party lacks a majority, it can seek external support from other parties without forming a formal alliance. The party offering external support does not usually hold ministerial positions, making the government fragile and vulnerable to collapse.

 

3. Dissolution and re-election

 

If no party can prove a majority within the given timeframe, the Lt Governor dissolves the assembly and calls for fresh elections.

 

What is a minority government?

A minority government forms when a party governs despite having fewer than the required majority. In such cases:

 

The ruling party must rely on external parties for legislative support.

 

It struggles to pass laws unless opposition parties abstain or vote in its favour.

 

These governments are unstable and often fail to complete their full term.

 

Delhi elections 2025: Will there be a hung assembly?

While most exit polls predicted a BJP victory, the AAP dismissed them, citing past instances where pollsters underestimated its performance. If neither party secures a clear majority, Delhi could face a period of political uncertainty, with negotiations and alliances playing a crucial role in determining the next government.

 

What do the exit polls say?

A total of 10 exit polls were released on Wednesday night after polls closed, with seven forecasting a decisive victory for the BJP. The most optimistic projections came from People's Pulse, Poll Diary, and People's Insights, predicting BJP could secure anywhere between 40 to 60 seats. 

Delhi Assembly elections: Most exit polls give BJP clear edge over AAP

 

Axis My India estimated a BJP victory on 45-55 seats. Today's Chanakya, another major pollster, placed BJP at 51 seats, with AAP trailing at 19. Across the board, Congress was given little to no chance, with most exit polls predicting it would struggle to win even a single seat.

 

Chanakya Strategies, DV Research, JVC, and P-Marq also forecasted BJP as the winner.

 

Exit polls vs reality: Delhi elections 2015, 2020

Exit polls have historically struggled to predict AAP’s performance in Delhi.

 

2015: Exit polls underestimated AAP’s dominance. The average of six major exit polls predicted AAP would win around 45 seats, but the party ended up securing a landslide victory with 67 out of 70 seats. BJP won just three, while Congress was wiped out.

 

2020: Forecasts improved but still fell short of reality. The average of eight exit polls projected AAP would win 54 seats, while BJP was expected to get 15. The final results saw AAP surpass expectations again, winning 62 seats, with BJP managing only eight. 

Delhi election 2025: How accurate were 2015 and 2020 exit poll predictions

 

With the final results yet to come, the big question remains—will 2025 see the exit polls get it right, will AAP once again defy predictions, or is there a chance for a hung assembly in the national capital?