New Delhi: The counting of votes for the Delhi assembly polls will take place on Saturday to decide whether the AAP comes to power for a fourth term or the BJP forms a government in the national capital after 27 years. The Congress is also looking for some gains after drawing a blank in the last two elections. Several exit polls have given the BJP an edge over the AAP, which has been ruling in Delhi since 2015.
The counting process will begin at 8 am with early trends likely to start coming in from initial hours. According to the Election Commission, 60.54 per cent votes were polled on Wednesday. Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva has claimed his party will win nearly 50 seats. The AAP has rejected the exit poll predictions, asserting it will form the government again with its convener Arvind Kejriwal becoming chief minister for the fourth time.
Delhi's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Alice Vaz said that a total of 5,000 personnel, including counting supervisors, counting assistants, micro-observers, and supporting staff trained for the process, will be deployed on Saturday for the counting of votes. In view of the fairness of the counting process, a random selection of five VVPATs (voter verifiable paper audit trails) will be done in each assembly constituency.
Political Analyst Naveen Gautam said, “The way BJP candidate from New Delhi seat Pravesh Verma remained in the headlines during the entire election campaign if BJP gets majority then his name will be included among the contenders for the post of Chief Minister.”
“Similarly, the role played by Vijender Gupta, who became the Leader of Opposition for the second time in the Assembly, in a short time and at the end of the tenure of the Aam Aadmi Party government, he tried to corner the AAP government over the CAG report, he can also be a strong contender,” Gautam added.
Another political analyst, Manoj Mishra said, “This time BJP has given the ticket to Dushyant Gautam from Karol Bagh reserved assembly seat. He was born in Malka Ganj, Delhi. Dushyant Gautam is the national vice president of BJP and has held different posts in the organisation.”
“Dushyant Gautam, who was active in student politics, became the divisional president of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad after completing his studies. He has become the president of BJP Scheduled Front thrice. He has seen the organisation and politics closely, he can also be a strong contender for the post of Chief Minister of Delhi,” Mishra added.
At the same time, there are about 15 seats which have become a topic of discussion among the people. Some of the high-profile seats include the New Delhi seat, Kalkaji seat, Jangpura seat, Patparganj seat and Chandni Chowk.
A three-tier security arrangement, including two companies of paramilitary forces and Delhi Police personnel, has been made for the 19 counting centres on the day of vote counting for Delhi Assembly elections on Saturday, officials said.
"We have made robust security arrangements (for counting day). Only authorised personnel will be allowed inside the counting centres, where the use of mobile phones will be strictly prohibited," Special Commissioner of Police, Devesh Chandra Srivastva, said while addressing a press conference on securing arrangements for the counting day.
Delhi Police has already conducted anti-sabotage checks at all the counting centres and devised a traffic management plan to ensure smooth vehicular movement, he added.
The Delhi Police have registered 1,100 cases of alleged Model Code of Conduct (MCC) violations and arrested or detained over 35,000 people in connection with these cases, an official said on Friday. The cases were filed between January 7, when the MCC came into force, and February 6.
A total of 35,516 people have been arrested or detained under various provisions of preventive action and other acts, according to a statement. Police have confiscated 477 illegal firearms and 538 cartridges, with 499 people arrested under the Arms Act, the statement said.
The police have also seized 1,15,103 liters of liquor and arrested 1,426 people, 206.712 kg of drugs worth over Rs 77.9 crore, along with more than 1,200 banned injections, and arrested 179 people so far.
Lt Governor VK Saxena on Friday ordered an anti corruption branch (ACB) probe into allegations by AAP leaders that the BJP had attempted to poach its candidates by offering them Rs 15 crore and ministerial berth.
The AAP leaders have accused the BJP of trying to create an illusion in their favour based on exit poll predictions, but trying to poach AAP's candidates with chances of victory. The BJP has demanded that AAP retract its charges and tender an apology or face legal action.
Delhi BJP general secretary Vishnu Mittal also wrote to the Lt Governor requesting for an ACB probe into AAP's charges. Soon after the LG's order, an ACB team visited Kejriwal in connection with the matter.
Earlier on Friday, Kejriwal held a meeting with all party candidates and asserted that the AAP will form its government, while alleging that the opposition is using exit polls to create "psychological pressure" and attempting to execute "Operation Lotus".
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, senior AAP leader Gopal Rai said that under Kejriwal’s guidance, all candidates presented their ground reports, which indicated that AAP is set to win over 50 seats decisively, with a close contest on 7-8 seats. The AAP established its dominance in Delhi's political map routing both the BJP and Congress in 2015 Assembly polls, winning 67 of the 70 Assembly seats.
Polling for all 70 Assembly seats in Delhi took place on Wednesday, with the votes set to be counted on Saturday. (With PTI Inputs)
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