Candidates’ fate sealed as Delhiites step out to vote

Tribune News Service

Samad Hoque

New Delhi, May 25

Delhi, the epicentre of national governance, went to the polls on Saturday, recording a voter turnout of 58.7 per cent. The Capital experienced a relatively mellow campaign from the three contesting parties, but the stakes were as high as ever.

Brinda Karat slams EC

New Delhi: CPM leader Brinda Karat on Saturday alleged she had to wait for almost an hour to cast her vote as the battery of the EVM control unit at her polling booth “drained out”. The EC, however, said voting was halted only for 15 minutes. She had gone to cast her vote at a polling booth set up at St Columba’s School in New Delhi constituency.

Selfie points, pink booths

New Delhi: The specially designed pink and model booths were a hit among the voters, who not only cast their votes with ease but also enjoyed clicking selfies on the polling day. A vibrant effort to enhance the voting experience, the polling stations featured pink sofas and colourful rangoli.

The voter turnout mirrored that of 2019 and 2014 when the BJP secured a landslide victory, capturing all seven seats.

Delhi had witnessed 60.52 per cent voting in the 2019 General Election. Despite the efforts of Delhi’s most popular party, AAP, and the Congress, they couldn’t mount a significant challenge.

In North East Delhi, an intriguing battle unfolded between two candidates from Bihar — Kanhaiya Kumar of Congress and BJP’s Manoj Tiwari, the only incumbent among BJP’s seven candidates. This constituency saw the highest voter turnout in the Capital at 62.87 per cent, according to the EC voter turnout app at 11.30 pm.

Other constituencies saw varying levels of engagement — East Delhi recorded 57.83 per cent, New Delhi recorded a low of 52.93 per cent, Chandni Chowk 58.06 per cent, North West Delhi 56.75 per cent, South Delhi 55.15 per cent and West Delhi at 58.28 per cent. Across the board, voter turnout has been on a downward trend since 2014.

Voters braved the scorching sun, with temperatures soaring to 44°C, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Itashi, a resident of Laxmi Nagar, said, “We are braving the temperature to see a change.” While another complained of the lack of water facilities in the North East Delhi constituency, there were minor complaints of technical issues, but these did not significantly affect the voting process.

This election was marked by a fierce battle between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, both trading accusations of corruption. Kejriwal, who was jailed on March 21 in a money laundering case linked to the 2021-22 excise policy, was granted interim bail by the Supreme Court to campaign until June 1, after which he must return to Tihar Central Jail.

The AAP leaned heavily on the Kejriwal factor, rallying support amid his legal troubles, while BJP’s Modi highlighted his decade of developments, seeking a third term in Parliament.

The outcome of this election can reshape the city’s political landscape and have far-reaching implications for the national governance narrative. All eyes are on June 4 now.

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