The Election Commission of India (ECI) is set to announce the schedule for the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections on Tuesday, January 7, at 2 PM. The announcement will take place during a press conference.
The 70-member Delhi Assembly’s term is set to conclude on February 23, necessitating elections to form a new House. In the 2020 elections, the schedule was announced on January 6, voting was held on February 8, and results were declared on February 11.
This election marks a crucial political battle, with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), led by Arvind Kejriwal, aiming for a third consecutive term. The BJP, however, is determined to unseat the AAP, citing allegations of corruption. Meanwhile, the Congress is preparing for a tough contest, hoping to regain its lost ground.
In the last two Assembly elections, AAP dominated the polls, securing 67 and 62 seats in 2015 and 2020, respectively. The BJP managed single-digit victories in both, while Congress, once a dominant force in Delhi politics, failed to win any seats.
Although AAP and Congress joined forces for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as part of the INDIA bloc, they will compete separately in the Assembly polls.
Arvind Kejriwal, who resigned as Delhi’s chief minister in September following his bail in the liquor policy case, has vowed to return to power with the people’s trust. Meanwhile, the BJP has intensified its campaign to oust the AAP.
On Sunday, AAP announced its final list of candidates, becoming the first major party to reveal its full slate of 70 contenders. Arvind Kejriwal will run from the New Delhi constituency for the fourth time, while Chief Minister Atishi will contest from Kalkaji.
The upcoming polls hold significant stakes for all political parties, as the national capital’s leadership hang in the balance.
