LIVE: Delhi goes to polls
Polling is underway in Delhi on Saturday in a high-pitched electrifying electoral battle that the national capital has never witnessed before. Till 10:00am, 9.25% of the city’s 1.33 crore voters cast their ballot.
Voters will decide whether to give Delhi a decisive mandate in favour of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) or the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — the two front runners — or keep it a hung assembly even after a year of President’s Rule.
While the opinion polls gave the AAP an edge over the BJP, both camps appeared upbeat on the judgment day.
Here’s your guide on who said what and the highlights of the big day.
Arvind Kejriwal
In his signature style, the former Delhi chief minister turned the heat on his rivals as he came out to vote.
“Last night liquor and money was distributed. People of Delhi know which party did this… Don’t vote for them,” Kejriwal said without naming any party.
“People want freedom from corruption, bribery and I am hopeful they will vote accordingly.”
Earlier in the day, he took to Twitter and urged Delhi residents to come out and vote.
Kiran Bedi
The BJP’s chief ministerial candidate cast her vote at a polling booth in Uday Park, south Delhi, and asked people to opt for “clean, literate and safe Delhi”.
“Today is a historic day for Delhiites. It’s the day for them to decide what type of Delhi they want,” Bedi said.
“I am confident… looking forward to a new Delhi. I will work till the end. We have to make Delhi a world-class city.”
Harsh Vardhan
Union minister Harsh Vardhan cast his ballot along with his mother in Krishna Nagar and said he was “confident of BJP’s win” in the Delhi assembly election.
Vardhan, who was BJP’s chief ministerial candidate in thr last assembly election, said that it would be a “historic win for the BJP”.
On being querried about pre-poll surveys showing the AAP has an edge, Vardhan said: “We have not seen that in reality. I am 100 percent confident that the BJP will win, and I don’t want to comment on these poll surveys till the results come out.”
Nupur Sharma, BJP candidate from the New Delhi constituency who is fighting against Kejriwal said she is “confident of BJP victory in Delhi”.
Ajay Maken
Congress campaign chief Ajay Maken said, “The Congress can deliver its promises in Delhi.”
“We have confined ourselves in raising real issues. Unlike other parties, we have not resorted to petty politics.”
Sheila Dikshit
Former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit told reporters that leaders were talking less about programmes mentioned in their manifestos.
“No, it may be your perception (regarding the Congress being in the election race) but the time has changed … and the Congress is very much in the race,” she added.
Early voters
Vice-president Hamid Ansari, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, AAP’s Kejriwal, BJP’s Bedi and Union minister Vardhan were among the early voters. Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, who cast his vote at a polling booth on Aurangzeb lane, refused to speak to reporters.
