Delhi Assembly election D-Day: Will BJP storm to power or AAP fight back?

As Delhi awaits its 2025 election results, all eyes are on AAP's survival, BJP's return, and Congress' struggle. Will Kejriwal secure a win, or is a political shift is underway?

The stage is set for the highly anticipated Delhi Assembly Election 2025 results, scheduled to be announced today, February 8.  This election holds significant importance for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as it navigates one of its toughest political challenges since its inception.

 

With the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) aggressively aiming for power in the national capital and the Congress party struggling for relevance, Delhi’s political landscape could be reshaped in a matter of hours. The results will not only determine the future of AAP in Delhi but also signal whether its model of governance, heavily focused on welfare schemes, continues to resonate with voters amid corruption allegations and an anti-incumbency wave.

 

 

AAP at a crossroads 

AAP, which stormed into Delhi politics a decade ago following an anti-corruption movement, is now itself entangled in corruption allegations. The past year has been particularly turbulent for the party, with its top leadership—including supremo Arvind Kejriwal—spending time behind bars. The arrest of key figures like former Health Minister Satyendar Jain, former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, and Kejriwal himself severely dented the party’s morale. The departure of several MLAs, including eight who joined BJP just days before the election, further compounded its troubles.

 

Despite these challenges, if AAP manages to pull off a victory, it will be a remarkable political comeback. However, a loss could mark the beginning of a decline for the party, especially as it has already faced setbacks in recent elections. 

   

Past disappointments 

AAP’s struggles have not been limited to Delhi. Its performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections was underwhelming, particularly in Delhi, where it failed to win a single seat despite ruling the state for nearly a decade. Even in Punjab, where AAP has a government, it managed to increase its parliamentary tally from two to just three seats.

 

In Haryana, where AAP had high hopes, the party failed to make any impact, with its senior vice-president Anurag Dhanda suffering a major defeat. These back-to-back electoral disappointments have made the Delhi election all the more crucial for AAP’s survival as a dominant political force. 

 

Ground realities and challenges for AAP 

AAP has been in power for over 10 years, and anti-incumbency sentiment is a major factor. Additionally, the party can no longer blame governance failures on external factors—having secured control of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) in 2022, it is fully accountable for civic issues like pollution, flooding, and infrastructure problems. While AAP’s education and healthcare reforms were once strong vote-winners, the party’s inability to address basic urban challenges has eroded some of its credibility. 

 

Delhi election result day: What to expect 

Delhi saw a high-stakes battle between AAP, BJP, and Congress, with 699 candidates contesting across 70 constituencies. Voter turnout stood at 60.42 per cent, according to the Election Commission’s data.

 

The counting of votes will begin at 8 am on February 8, with results expected by evening. The process starts with counting of postal ballots, followed by votes cast through Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). Trends should emerge by noon, with a clearer picture by late afternoon. 

 

Key Delhi constituencies to watch 

• New Delhi: Arvind Kejriwal faces a tough contest against BJP’s Parvesh Verma and Congress’ Sandeep Dikshit. 

• Kalkaji: AAP’s Atishi, a key leader, is in a three-way fight with Congress’ Alka Lamba and BJP’s Ramesh Bidhuri.

• Jangpura: Former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia is up against BJP’s Tarvinder Singh Marwah and Congress’ Farhad Suri.

• Okhla: AAP’s Amanatullah Khan seeks a third consecutive victory against Congress’ Ariba Khan and BJP’s Firdos Alam.

• Malviya Nagar: Sitting MLA Somnath Bharti defends his seat against BJP’s Satish Upadhyay and Congress’ Jitendra Kumar Kochar.

 

Exit poll predictions: BJP set for a landslide victory? 

Most exit polls predict a strong performance by BJP, with AAP expected to struggle to retain power: 

• Axis My India: BJP 45-55, AAP 15-25

• CNX: BJP 49-61, AAP 10-19

• Today’s Chanakya: BJP 51, AAP 19

• Matrize: BJP 35-40, AAP 32-37

• P-Marq: BJP 21-31, AAP 39-44

• People’s Pulse: BJP 51-60, AAP 10-18

• Poll Diary: BJP 42-50, AAP 18-25

 

Across the board, Congress is expected to remain a non-factor, with most pollsters predicting a repeat of its 2015 and 2020 debacle—zero seats.