Voting for the Delhi Assembly elections began on Wednesday, with prominent leaders like President Droupadi Murmu, Union ministers S Jaishankar and Hardeep Singh Puri, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, and Delhi Chief Minister Atishi casting their ballots early in the day. Other notable figures who participated in the electoral process included Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, AAP leader and former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva, Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora, and Delhi Chief Electoral Officer R Alice Vaz. The election is a triangular contest between the ruling AAP, BJP, and Congress, with the AAP aiming for a third consecutive term. Polling is underway at 13,766 stations across Delhi's 70 assembly constituencies to decide the fate of 699 candidates. The results will be announced on February 8.
The report on the alleged liquor scam, a hot button issue in the run-up to the elections, claimed a loss of revenue to the tune of Rs 941.53 crore, saying timely permissions were not taken for opening the liquor vends in non-conforming municipal wards.
Anand is still "technically" a minister although he has resigned, officials said.
Kailash Gahlot, a key minister in the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi, has resigned, potentially impacting the party's ambitious plan to roll out a Rs 1000 monthly honorarium scheme for women ahead of the Assembly polls in February. Gahlot, who represented the Jat-dominated Najafgarh constituency in West Delhi, cited several issues, including the "Sheeshmahal" controversy over his former official residence, the Delhi government's tussle with the Centre, and the failure to clean the Yamuna River, in his resignation letter. Delhi BJP leaders welcomed Gahlot's resignation, fueling speculation that he could join the party before the assembly polls. However, AAP leaders claimed Gahlot resigned due to pressure from central agencies, including the Enforcement Directorate, and that joining the BJP was his last option. Gahlot's resignation has sparked speculation about his future and the impact it will have on the AAP's electoral prospects.
Kejriwal claimed that the BJP has ruined Gujarat in its 30-year rule. The Congress has failed as an opposition because it helps the BJP retain power, he said.
The election of Vijender Gupta, a three-time BJP MLA, as the speaker of the Delhi Assembly has sparked controversy, with AAP members accusing the BJP of being "anti-Dalit and anti-Sikh." The accusations stem from the removal of photographs of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar and Shaheed Bhagat Singh from the chief minister's office, a move condemned by AAP leaders as a display of the BJP's alleged anti-Dalit and anti-Sikh stance.
Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia, arrested in the Delhi excise policy case in February last year, on Tuesday told a Delhi court hearing his bail petition that no purpose will be served by keeping him in jail any further.
The upcoming Delhi Assembly polls have taken an interesting turn with the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) engaging in a poster war inspired by the popular film 'Pushpa 2.' The AAP has released a poster featuring Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, while the BJP has countered with a poster featuring state president Virendra Sachdeva, both using imagery and slogans from the film.
On Monday, Sisodia met AAP leaders to prepare for next February's Delhi assembly elections.
He also asserted that no one can take the place of Kejriwal in the AAP.
The ruling Aam Aadmi Party on Monday said it has put the ball in Bharatiya Janata Party's court by demanding early elections in Delhi in November, and now it is up to the opposition party to decide whether it was prepared to face CM Arvind Kejriwal.
Ahead of the Delhi assembly polls scheduled to be held early next year, state Congress chief Devender Yadav said on Friday that the party will contest on all 70 seats and there would be no alliance.
The Aam Aadmi Party ended the BJP's 15-year-rule in the Municipal of Delhi poll in results announced on Wednesday.
Two former MLAs Neeraj Basoya and Nasseb Singh resigned from the primary membership of the party putting the party's Lok Sabha preparations in doubt.
Pawar said in the last 10 years, people have voted Kejriwal to power, adding that Aam Aadmi Party ministers have been jailed and steps were being taken to arrest him as well.
To seek approval for about 2,084 political advertisements in the city, the BJP submitted nearly 517 applications to the poll body from March 13 till May 8, data accessed by PTI showed.
The police also moved an application seeking court's permission to produce Sisodia only via video conference, after he levelled the allegation.
Bharatiya Janata Party sources asserted on Monday that the ruling party has enough support in Parliament to ensure the passage of a bill on the ordinance on the control of administrative services in Delhi.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has refuted allegations by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) that the Commission is being run by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar. The ECI said it is a three-member body and has collectively noted "repeated deliberate pressure tactics" to malign the poll authority in the Delhi elections. The ECI has decided to exercise constitutional restraint and not be swayed by such insinuations. The AAP has alleged that the EC has been ignoring the BJP's alleged violations of poll code, and that Kumar is not taking action against the BJP to secure a post-retirement assignment. Delhi goes to polls on Wednesday.
The 12 zones are Civil Lines, Rohini, Najafgarh, Narela, Keshavpuram, West Zone, Sadar, Karol Bagh, Shahdara North, Central, South and Shahdara South, an official statement issued on Saturday said.
The Delhi high court on Monday refused to quash the proceedings against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and other Aam Aadmi Party leaders in a defamation case over their remarks about alleged deletion of the names of 30 lakh voters belonging to some communities from electoral rolls in the national capital.
Responding to Arvind Kejriwal's recent announcement of ten guarantees to the people, Amit Shah said the AAP leader's comments need not be taken seriously as the party is contesting only 22 Lok Sabha seats.
Delhi cabinet minister Atishi and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Sanjeev Jha were present at the protest site.
As leaders in both the BJP and Congress concede, neither has within their parties a leader to match Arvind Kejriwal's charisma in Delhi.
Aam Aadmi Party's Delhi chief Dilip Pandey on Wednesday alleged that a Delhi police bus tried to run over him in front of Rajinder Nagar police station.
The Central Vigilance Commission has directed the Public Works Department of Delhi government to conduct a detailed probe into the alleged merger of properties to expand the 6, Flagstaff Road bungalow and the expenditures incurred on its interiors, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Vijender Gupta said on Saturday.
A court in New Delhi on Thursday refused to take cognisance of a chargesheet filed against Aam Aadmi Party MLA Amanatullah Khan in a money laundering case related to alleged irregularities in the Delhi Waqf Board and ordered his 'immediate release', saying his further incarceration in the matter would be 'illegal'.
Kejriwal claimed that 16 AAP candidates had received offers from the BJP with the promise of ministerial positions and Rs 15 crore each if they switch sides.
Whether AAP bounces back or fades into political oblivion will depend on its strategy in the coming months.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has apologized for using the slang term "thulla" to refer to lower-rank policemen in a recent speech. She said it was not her intention to belittle or denigrate police personnel and that she has immense respect for them. She also attributed her past controversial comments on social media against opposition leaders to her lack of maturity then, saying she is not afraid to accept her mistakes. The opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has strongly criticised Gupta for her remarks in the Assembly on March 28, which it called were an insult to police personnel.
Aam Aadmi Party national Convenor Arvind Kejriwal campaigned for Kanhaiya Kumar, the Congress candidate from the North-East Delhi constituency, at a roadshow in Bhajanpura on Tuesday, May 21, 2024.
Kejriwal had announced his decision to resign from the post of chief minister on Sunday. He had said that he will only sit on the CM's chair when people give him a "certificate of honesty".
The BJP's victory in the Delhi Assembly elections has sparked speculation over who will lead the next government. Several prominent leaders, including Pravesh Verma, Ashish Sood, Pawan Sharma, Vijender Gupta, and Satish Upadhyay, are in the running for the chief minister's post. The party's national leadership is expected to make the final decision, leaving the contenders in a state of anticipation.
According to AAP sources, Sisodia's wife Seema was hospitalised as she felt unwell.
Yogendra Yadav, a founding member of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), believes the party's defeat in the Delhi Assembly polls is a setback for the entire opposition and raises questions about its future. He attributed the loss to factors like the liquor scam, the 'Sheesh Mahal' row, and the constant fights between the Delhi LG and the AAP government.
Congress received more votes than the wining margin in 14 constituencies where Bharatiya Janata Party emerged victorious defeating Aam Aadmi Party candidates, including former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and his former deputy Manish Sisodia.
The high-octane campaigning for the February 5 Delhi Assembly elections concluded at 6 pm on Monday, with big guns from all three major parties holding roadshows, public meetings, padayatras and bike rallies in a final push to sway voters. The Aam Aadmi Party remains confident of securing a third consecutive term, highlighting its governance record and welfare schemes. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), aiming to reclaim power in Delhi after more than 25 years, held 22 roadshows and rallies across the city. The Congress, seeking a revival after failing to win any seats in the last two elections, also intensified its efforts. The election battle has seen sharp political exchanges, with AI-generated spoofs, catchy slogans, and roadshows dominating the discourse. The outcome of this fiercely contested election will determine whether the AAP continues its dominance, the BJP breaks its losing streak, or Congress makes a surprising comeback. The final verdict will be revealed on February 8, as Delhi awaits the results of what has been one of its most high-stakes electoral battles.
If Shaheen Bagh shooter belongs to AAP, give double punishment, Kejriwal said.
The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday alleged that bribe money generated from corruption in a Delhi Jal Board (DJB) contract was 'passed on' as election funds to the Aam Aadmi Party that rules the national capital.
In a major setback to Delhi's Aam Aadmi Party government, the Supreme Court on Monday ruled that the law 'expressly enables' the lieutenant governor to nominate aldermen to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and he is not bound by the advice of the council of ministers in the matter.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances