The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has secured a decisive victory in the Delhi legislative assembly elections, winning 48 out of 70 seats and marking its return to power in the capital after 27 years. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which had been in power for the past decade, won 22 seats. A party needs more than the halfway mark of 35 seats to form the government.
AAP leaders, including Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, lost their seats to BJP candidates. Meanwhile, AAP’s vote share saw a decline of approximately 10% compared to the previous election. The Congress party, once a dominant force in Delhi politics, failed to secure any seats for the third consecutive time but witnessed a slight increase in its vote share.
Before the elections, the BJP released its manifesto, ‘Viksit Delhi Sankalp Patra,’ in three parts. Aimed at garnering voter support, the manifesto included promises for various groups, including women, students, educated youth, farmers, senior citizens, priests, and service workers such as auto-rickshaw drivers, washermen, and anganwadi workers. It focused on key areas such as agriculture, transport, pollution, employment, healthcare, education, and essential utilities like electricity, water, and waste management. Additionally, the BJP pledged numerous benefits and subsidies for specific sections of the population.
The election was viewed as a high-stakes contest for both the BJP and AAP, given Delhi’s strategic and symbolic significance as the nation’s capital. For the BJP, reclaiming Delhi represents more than just electoral success; it marks a significant political milestone after being out of power in the city since 1998.
The 2025 Delhi Legislative Assembly elections were held in Delhi on 5 February 2025 to elect all 70 members of the Delhi Legislative Assembly. Voter turnout stood at over 60% as residents cast their ballots in a closely watched election. Most exit polls had predicted an absolute majority for the BJP, although such forecasts have been unreliable in the past.
The BJP’s victory was spread across key constituencies, with the party winning nine of the 10 seats in the West Delhi parliamentary constituency, eight each in North West Delhi and East Delhi, and seven in New Delhi. Additionally, it secured six seats in Chandni Chowk and five each in South Delhi and North East Delhi.
With this victory, the BJP is set to form the next government in Delhi, bringing an end to AAP’s decade-long rule and reshaping the political landscape of the capital.