New Delhi: Following the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) victory in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) election, celebrations began on Wednesday at the party’s office in New Delhi, with supporters carrying party flags, distributing sweets, and dancing to the beat of drums.
The AAP won 136 of the 136 wards, while the BJP won 100. According to the most recent voting trends, the Congress came in third place after winning ten wards.
Since the morning, the mood at the AAP’s Rouse Avenue office has been festive, with songs blasting over loudspeakers and the entire premises decked out in colorful balloons.
As counting progressed and numbers swung in favour of the AAP, supporters and leaders such as Gopal Rai, Atishi, and Durgesh Pathak began to gather at the office. Outside, hoardings reading ‘acche honge 5 saal, MCD mein bhi Kejriwal’ lined the street as supporters sang along to the AAP’s official election song, ‘MCD mein Arvind Kejriwal.’
As the counting began at 8 a.m., partygoers’ eyes were glued to LED screens flashing the latest trends. They also monitored social media, with some of them seen constantly tweeting as the final touches were being made to the office in preparation for the party’s first victory in a municipal election here.
Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convener, is expected to address the crowd following the ceremony.
Around 9 a.m., the BJP was leading in 66 seats and the AAP was leading in 30. The Congress was only three seats ahead.
As the counting continued, the AAP’s lead over the BJP shrank, and by 9.05 a.m., the BJP was leading in 107 seats and the AAP in 95. Around 10.30 a.m., the AAP (123) overtook the BJP (108). The Congress was leading by 12 seats.
Most exit polls predicted that the AAP would easily defeat the BJP, with the Congress trailing far behind.
The AAP nominated 138 women candidates, while the BJP and Congress nominated 136 and 129, respectively.
On December 4, a high-stakes election to the MCD’s 250 wards was held, sealing the electoral fate of 1,349 candidates in voting machines. In the elections, a voter turnout of 50.48 percent was recorded.
The BJP won 181 of the 270 wards in the 2017 civic election. Due to the death of two candidates, voting on two seats could not take place. The AAP had won 48 wards, while the Congress had won 27. That year, the voting percentage was around 53%.