The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress are fighting an intense battle for supremacy on 10 Assembly seats in South Delhi with Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) breathing down its neck.
The trends were not clear during the day as different polling stations gave conflicting indications. In totality, BJP had the edge slightly over its rival Congress as the AAP appears to have dented the vote bank of the ruling Congress. The elections in Delhi and four other States are being seen as the semi-final for the lok Sabha polls to be held next year.
The election is Sangam Vihar constituency is seems to be triangular contest as former Congress MP and Jat leader Sajjan Kumar's son Jag Pravesh is contesting against BJP's sitting MlA Dr SCl Gupta. Congress rebel and former MlA Sheesh Pal is also in the fray on JD (U) ticket. There is a clear division in the vote and due to this, the BJP has an advantage here.
The Assembly seat of Sangam Vihar is prestige issue for Kumar as his son is contesting his first election. Similarly, there is a triangular contest between Congress candidate Ram Singh Netaji, BJP candidate Ramvir Singh Bidhuri and BSP's Narsingh Shah in Badarppur constituency. Netaji is banking JJ colony Gautampuri and Badarpur village while Bidhuri is hoping to cash in on anti-Congress wave across the city. Bidhuri said that the BJP is getting positive response in JJ clusters and minority areas.
In Bijwasan, AAP candidate Col (retd) Devendra Sehrawat is denting traditional vote-bank of Congress. BJP candidate Sat Prakash Rana has slightly advantage here. Congress candidate Vijay lochav was on the back foot.
The BJP has advantage in Chhattarpur and Tuglaqabad Assembly seats. BJP candidate Brahm Singh Bidhuri is contesting against Congress's Balram Tanwar from Chhattarpur. In Tuglaqabad, BJP candidate Ramesh Bidhuri has advantage over Congress's candidate OP Bidhuri. Bidhuri said that inflation and corruption was the key issues during the elections.
The early trends also reflected close contest in Deoli and Ambedkar Nagar seats, which are considered stronghold of the Congress. The Congress is facing tough contest from Khusi Ram of BJP and AAP's Ashok Chouhan.
In Ambedkar Nagar, Choudhury Prem Singh who has never lost any elections since 1953 has appealed voters to ensure victory as it will be his last election. Singh has expressed hope that people of Ambedkar Nagar will vote for him. But early trends showed that the AAP is getting more votes of Youth.
The election in Palam is also seen as tough battle between the Congress and the BJP. The contest is prestigious for sitting Congress MP Mahabal Mishra as his son is contesting from Palam seat. BJP has advantage in Palam as this is new seat for Congress's Vinay Mishra, who has been nurturing Dwarka seat for the last five years. Mishra also refused to comment on the outcome or presence of AAP in the area.