Sun Feb 09 19:24:51 UTC 2025: **BJP Storms Back to Power in Delhi After 26-Year Hiatus**

NEW DELHI, February 8, 2025 – In a stunning upset, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has won a resounding victory in the Delhi Assembly elections, securing 48 out of 70 seats. This marks a triumphant return to power for the BJP after more than two decades. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which has governed Delhi for the past nearly 12 years, was reduced to 22 seats, while the Congress party failed to win a single seat for the third consecutive election.

The BJP’s victory was celebrated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who attributed the win to a rejection of AAP’s governance and a mandate for development. He pledged to prioritize cleaning the Yamuna River and improving Delhi’s infrastructure. Modi sharply criticized the AAP government, alleging corruption and a failure to address crucial civic issues. He also highlighted the BJP’s governance record in other states, emphasizing development and improved law and order.

AAP’s vote share plummeted by nearly 10 percentage points compared to the 2020 elections, while the BJP saw a significant increase in its vote share. Despite AAP’s considerable losses, Chief Minister Atishi managed to retain her seat. However, women’s representation in the new assembly remains low, with only five women winning seats.

The Congress party, meanwhile, suffered a crushing defeat, failing to win any seats despite a slight increase in its vote share. Party leaders attributed the loss to a referendum on AAP’s performance rather than an endorsement of BJP policies, vowing a return to power by 2030.

The election saw a voter turnout of 60.39%, with the highest turnout in Mustafabad (69%) and the lowest in Karol Bagh (47.40%). Aaley Mohammad Iqbal (AAP) secured the highest victory margin (42,724 votes), while Chandan Kumar Choudhary (BJP) won by the slimmest margin (344 votes). A notable victory for the BJP was Parvesh Verma’s defeat of AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal in the New Delhi constituency.

The election results have sparked considerable political analysis, focusing on shifts in voter demographics and the implications for the national political landscape. The BJP’s victory is seen by some as a significant setback for the opposition parties, while others maintain that the results primarily reflect local issues and dissatisfaction with the AAP.

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