The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has taken an early lead as the counting of votes for the Delhi Assembly election began on Saturday morning. As of 8:50 am, the BJP, led by party president JP Nadda, was ahead in 36 seats, while the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was leading in 23 seats. The Congress was ahead in only one seat.

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The counting process commenced at 8 am across all 70 assembly constituencies, with final results expected to be declared later in the day. The BJP is aiming to end AAP’s decade-long rule in the capital and return to power in Delhi after 27 years. Meanwhile, the Congress, which governed Delhi for 15 years under Sheila Dikshit until 2013, is looking to regain its footing after failing to win a single seat in the last two elections in 2015 and 2020.

Exit Poll Predictions and Initial Trends

Several exit polls had predicted a victory for the BJP in the Delhi Assembly elections. The P-MARQ exit poll projected that the BJP would win between 39 and 49 seats, while AAP was expected to secure 21 to 31 seats. The Congress was predicted to win at most one seat.

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The Matrize exit poll suggested a close contest, forecasting 35 to 40 seats for the BJP, 32 to 37 seats for AAP, and one seat for the Congress.

Also read: Delhi Election Results: Arvind Kejriwal, Atishi, and Manish Sisodia trailing in initial trends

However, some exit polls indicated a landslide for the BJP. The Peoples Pulse survey projected a dominant win for the party, estimating that it would secure between 51 and 60 seats, while AAP was expected to win between 10 and 19 seats, with the Congress failing to secure any. Similarly, the People's Insight poll estimated a BJP victory in 40 to 44 seats, with AAP securing 25 to 29 seats and the Congress potentially winning one seat.

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In contrast, the WeePreside exit poll suggested that AAP could perform better than expected, predicting that it would win between 46 and 52 seats, while the BJP would secure 18 to 23 seats. The Congress was again projected to win no more than one seat.

Also read: LIVE | Delhi Elections Results 2025: Vote counting in high-stakes battle between AAP, BJP and Congress begins

Political Stakes in Delhi

This election holds significant political stakes for all major parties. For the BJP, a victory in Delhi would mark a significant breakthrough, as the party has not governed the state since 1998. For AAP, which has controlled the Delhi government since 2015, the challenge is to retain its dominance amid an aggressive BJP campaign. Meanwhile, the Congress is striving to remain politically relevant in the capital after consecutive defeats.