Heena Sharma Blog

Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday won the Delhi elections, reducing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress to eight and eight and zero seats in the 70-member Assembly. The largest margin of victory was in Burari where AAP's Sanjeev Jha secured 139,598 votes. Janata Dal (United) candidate Shailendra Kumar was the runners up with 51,440 votes, trailing Jha by 88,000 votes. The smallest victory margin was also secured by an AAP candidate. Bhupinder Singh Joon retained the seat for his party with 57,271 votes, defeating a close second Sat Prakash Rana (BJP) ticket and secured 56,518 votes a difference of just 753 votes. AAP won in 5 of the constituencies in which the victory margin was the lowest. In terms of vote share, while the AAP saw a marginal decline from 54.34 per cent to 53.57 per cent, the BJP’s share rose by 6 percentage points from 32.19 per cent to 38.46 per cent. The Congress’ vote share, meanwhile, plumbed further to 4.34 per cen...

The final voter turnout in Delhi assembly polls was 62.59 per cent, five per cent less than 2015, the Election Commission announced on Sunday evening nearly 24 hours after the polling ended, while the Aam Aadmi Party questioned the "delay". Delhi Chief Electoral Officer Ranbir Singh, however, said there was no unusual delay in announcing the final voter turnout as the returning officers were busy with scrutiny of data to ensure its accuracy. After elections to the 70-member Delhi Assembly were held on Saturday, poll officials had said that there was a turnout of 61.46 per cent, subject to revision. However, as there was no final word from the EC till 4 pm on Sunday, AAP chief and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal took to Twitter saying it was "absolutely shocking" that the poll panel was not coming out with the voting figures. "What is EC doing? Why are they not releasing poll turnout figures, several hours after polling?" Kejriwal tweeted. Read...

Stressing that the assembly polls are dedicated to a clean and beautiful Delhi, BJP leaders on Thursday said the country was moving fast on the path of development under Prime Minister Narendra Modi but the AAP and the Congress were trying to "weaken" it. BJP chief JP Nadda hit out at the ruling AAP and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, accusing them of "saving Tukde Tukde gang and endangering security of the country for political gains". "This election is dedicated to a clean, healthy, beautiful, safe and developed Delhi," he said. Nadda addressed meetings in Adarsh ??Nagar, Tri Nagar and Jangpura Assembly segments on the last day of campaigning for the Delhi election. Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari held a series of roadshows in various constituencies seeking support for the party in the 70-member Delhi Assembly. He attacked Kejriwal and his government alleging, "Before the elections, Kejriwal showed only dreams to the people of D...

Wednesday attacked BJP leaders, saying their character can be defined by the kind of slogans they raise, and claimed that the AAP was copying former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit's development model. She also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of being "hungry for publicity". "Slogans tell character. Those who worked in the nation's interest can be identified by their slogans. Our (Congress) slogans were 'Jai jawan, jai kisan', 'Mai yuva hoon', 'Mera ek sapna hai', 'Aaram haram hai', 'Roti, kapda, makaan'," the Congress leader said. "Their (BJP's) slogans are 'Goli maro; khoon se tilak karo, boli nahi goli. Ye desh jodne wale nare hain'? (Are these slogans in favour of bringing the country together)," she said at a poll rally in Chandni Chowk. The Congress general secretary also said that Dikshit during her tenure as chief minister ha...

On the penultimate day of campaigning for the Delhi polls on Wednesday, the AAP, the Congress and the BJP slugged it out over issues ranging from citizenship law, appeasement politics and unemployment. The Congress fielded its leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to attack the AAP and the BJP, even as war of words escalated between the BJP and the AAP which traded barbs over the Shaheen Bagh shooter. On Tuesday, police had said that Kapil Baisala, the man who opened fire at Shaheen Bagh protest site last week, was an AAP worker. Addressing a press conference, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that if Baisala was even remotely connected to the his party then he should be given a "double punishment". "I am not aware of his (Baisala's ties) with the any political party. If he is even remotely connected to the AAP, he should be given double punishment. There should be no compromise on national security," he said. Read More

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) must name its contender for Delhi's main pastor by Wednesday 1 pm for a discussion on the races, said the city state's pioneer Arvind Kejriwal as he discharged his Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) declaration. "Delhiites need BJP to proclaim its CM applicant—I am prepared for banter (with the competitor)," said Chief Minister Kejriwal "AAP's vision is to empower each regular man to live with poise and success," he said three days before Delhi holds decisions. Discharged by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia as a "28-point ensure card", guaranteed quality training, medicinal services, clean water, and continuous power. The AAP vowed to increase its determination for the section of Delhi Jan Lokpal Bill. Neatness of the city and Yamuna stream, ladies wellbeing are among different guarantees of the gathering. Read More

Campaigning for the Delhi Assembly elections has intensified with the date of polling inching closer. Today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a rally in Dwarka, while Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will release its manifesto. The campaign on Monday had leaders of the BJP, the AAP and the Congress launching a no-holds-barred attack on rivals on issues like anti-CAA protest at Shaheen Bagh and performance of the Kejriwal government. Modi slammed the anti-CAA agitators in Shaheen Bagh and other areas saying the protest against the new citizenship law was an "experiment" and there was a design of politics behind it, which would ruin the national harmony. Addressing an election rally at Karkardooma in east Delhi, Modi said the spurt in protests in areas like Shaheen Bagh, Seelampur and Jamia were not just co-incidences. "Attention is being diverted from the real conspiracy," the Prime Minister said. Campaigning for the polls will conclud...

Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said that the coming Delhi Assembly elections will be a battle between two ideologies. "Your vote to the BJP will ensure security and development for Delhi as well as the country. This election is between two ideologies. At one side there is Rahul Gandhi and Kejriwal who say we are with Shaheen Bagh," he said at a rally in Chirag Delhi. "I want to ask you are you with Shaheen Bagh? On the other hand, there is the ideology of BJP under Prime Minister Narendra Modi for whom the country is the top priority," he said. Shah continued, "What kind of slogans are raised at Shaheen Bagh? 'Humein Chahiye Azadi (freedom), Jinnah Wali Azadi'. Those who are supporting Shaheen Bagh tell what kind and from whom you want freedom." Attacking the AAP government in Delhi, the Home Minister accused Kejriwal of telling lies. "Kejriwal is on top when it comes to telling lies. There are competitions amongst governmen...