New Delhi: Over 51 per cent of the nearly 1.33 crore voters exercised their franchise till 4 PM in Delhi Assembly polls where both BJP and AAP made an aggressive bid to power in one of the most fiercely fought battle outcome of which may have a bearing on the national political landscape.
“51.15 per cent polling was recorded till 4 PM. Polling has been peaceful and we have not received any report of any untoward incident,” Delhi's Chief Electoral Officer Chandra Bhushan Kumar said.
The assembly polls, second within little over one year, have been largely a direct contest between BJP and a resurgent AAP which has put up a tough fight under Arvind Kejriwal's leadership.
The AAP has been maintaining that a higher turnout will be beneficial for the party while BJP was also hopeful that an impressive polling will help it.
In 2013 assembly polls, the overall voting percentage was 66 which was an increase of around 9 per from 57.58 per cent in 2008.
The elections are significant as a defeat for BJP may bolster the opposition while a victory for the party will increase its confidence ahead of assembly polls in Bihar later this year and in West Bengal in 2016.
The BJP, which is out of power in Delhi for the last 16 years, made a no holds barred effort to win the polls. It is being billed by many as a referendum on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a description rejected by BJP.
Vice President Hamid Ansari, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, party Vice President Rahul Gandhi, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, BJP's chief ministerial candidate Kiran Bedi, Union Ministers Harsh Vardhan and Maneka Gandhi, Delhi Lt Governor Najeeb Jung, Congress' Ajay Maken and BJP's Varun Gandhi were among the early voters.
Priyanka Gandhi, AAP leader Manish Sisodia, Delhi's Chief Electoral Officer Kumar, former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, DPCC chief Arvinder Singh Lovely, and Delhi BJP President Satish Upadhyay also exercised their franchise in the morning hours.
Kejriwal, who led AAP's spirited campaign, today exuded confidence of getting a clear mandate for his party as he said truth will triumph in the polls.
“I am confident that AAP will win the elections and form government in Delhi,” he told PTI after casting his vote at B K Dutt colony in his New Delhi constituency. His BJP rival Kiran Bedi, after casting her vote at a polling station in Malviya Nagar, appealed to people to come out in large numbers and vote.
