Bharatiya Janata Party was left red-faced on Friday after rival groups within the party clashed in the open over the nomination of senior party leader Vijay Kumar Malhotra as the chief ministerial candidate for the forthcoming Delhi assembly elections.
Over 60 per cent of 1.5 crore electorate on Saturday exercised their franchise in a keenly fought Delhi Assembly elections which saw stray incidents of violence but remained by and large peaceful.
Vijender Singh is determined to keep the record with a world title to boot as he enters the new decade donning multiple hats, including the one of an active politician "with strong opinions". The 34-year-old trailblazing boxer, who delivered India's first Olympic and men's world championship medals in boxing back in 2008 and 2009, has logged an enviable 12-0 record in the professional circuit, which he entered in 2015.
The national capital witnessed the worst riots in last three decades this week, with allegations of police acting as mute spectators when angry mobs ran riot on the streets of northeast Delhi.
"I congratulate the people of Delhi and many thanks to them for their support and affection for the Congress," the 77-year-old leader said in her residence as jubilant party supporters danced to drumbeats and burst firecrackers.
Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and five of her cabinet colleagues were among the successful candidates of Congress in the keenly contested electoral battle for the 70-member House.
The ruling Congress was leading in 30 seats while the Bharatiya Janata Party was ahead in 22 constituencies in the Delhi assembly elections for which trends were available
As the Aam Aadmi Party heads for a resounding win in Delhi, Rediff.com's Syed Firdaus Ashraf lists the reasons behind Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's triumph.
The BJP chief ministerial candidate calls the AAP chief negative
AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal also challenged the BJP to announce its chief ministerial candidate by 1 pm Wednesday and said he is ready for a public debate with him.
The young party sees a stream of volunteers from outside Delhi. Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com.
Ahead of Delhi assembly elections, Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party has collected around Rs 19 crore as donations from cross section of people, most of them are the first-time donors to a political party.
Aam Aadmi Party leader Shazia Ilmi sought to quell speculation that she would be pitted against Congress President Sonia Gandhi in the Lok Sabha polls, saying she "never agreed" to contest from Rae Bareli.
'We had no inkling this would come. Admittedly, we failed to inspire confidence in migrants that no harm would come to them if they stayed back.' Radhika Ramaseshan reports.
Rahul Gandhi has gone on a sabbatical "for a few weeks" to reflect upon the future of the Congress.
As the campaign peaked, AAP leaders evidently realised they had to deflect their chief opponent's attempts to polarise the electorate over religious identity, explains David Devadas.
'AAP's next target will be Punjab.'
'If the virulence of COVID-19 has muted the toxicity of the BJP's communalism, it will be an example of good coming out of the pandemic,' notes Amulya Ganguli.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and two other Aam Aadmi Party leaders were on Tuesday directed by a Delhi court to appear before it later in the day in connection with a criminal defamation complaint, saying there was no ground for exemption from their appearance.
'Mr Kejriwal has played it cool in distancing himself from Delhi's hotspots, adroitly pandering to the BJP's Hindu vote.' 'He neither visited the scene of JNU violence nor has he dropped by at Shaheen Bagh,' notes Sunil Sethi.
Kejriwal exempted till March 17 by a Delhi Court in a defamation suit.
BJP loss could trigger a correction
High drama was witnessed on Tuesday at Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal's press conference when a man, claiming to be Anna Hazare supporter and a Bharatiya Janata Party activist from Maharashtra, threw black paint on him and other party members present there.
It is reggae. It is inspired by Bob Marley. It is targeted at first time voters and those who think that voting is not cool.
The politics of hate does not pay. The people are too sensible to fall for such a ruse, says Amulya Ganguli.
Strong rooms spread across the city storing the electronic voting machines (EVMs) are being heavily guarded, with a 'three-layer security ring'. Tight security arrangements have also been put in place at various centres across the national capital.
BJP's vision document will feature a roadmap for development
The poll body also observed that the investigation had 'political connotations' and Deo's conduct has 'consequences' for 'free and fair elections'.
As Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced his resignation late on Friday evening, the party office at the Hanuman Road at Connaught Place was all geared for it well in advance.
Former Aam Aadmi Party leader Shazia Ilmi joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, but said she is not keen on contesting the upcoming Delhi assembly elections.
'Scindia's willingness to consort with the BJP, a party he has rightly, and eloquently, excoriated in various speeches and statements in the recent past suggest a shallowness and hollowness of convictions and principles.'
Santosh Koli, a close aide of Arvind Kejriwal and Aam Aadmi Party candidate for Delhi polls who was critically injured in an accident, died on Wednesday in a Gurgaon hospital after battling for life for 37 days.
Out on bail, the Bhim Army chief said 'it will be shameful if I don't call him out for saying that those indulging in violence can be identified by their clothes itself'.
With Delhi witnessing the highest-ever voter turnout, women may turn out to be game changer for political parties as they came out in large numbers to cast their ballots.
J P Nadda is a man to watch in the BJP.
Big banners bearing messages like 'Dhanyawad Dilli' along with the image of the Aam Aadmi Party supremo were put up on Saturday in and around the venue ahead of the mega function which is 'open to public'.
He was arrested in a case of theft and misappropriating his wife Latika's property.
A "hero of politics" should not be under the misconception of having unstinted support of the people, Sena said in Friday's Saamana edit.
BJP tops the list with 27 tainted candidates
Kiran Bedi, who recently joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, said she had tried several times to talk to Anna Hazare over the phone but was not able to do so as the anti- corruption crusader was either "sleeping or taking rest".
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