NEW DELHI: BJP is projected to sweep Delhi in 2024 elections, exit polls suggest, with Congress and AAP facing potential shutout.
The Bharatiya Janata Party appears poised for a hattrick, sweeping all seats in the 2024 elections, according to the Itv D-dynamics exit polls. This accomplishment mirrors their previous successes in 2014 and 2019, where the saffron party secured all seven seats in Delhi. These projections suggest a continuation of the BJP’s dominance in the capital, with both Congress and the Aam Adami Party, part of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc, failing to secure a single seat.
Most exit polls anticipate a clean sweep for the BJP in Delhi, with some even suggesting that the Congress-led I.N.D.I.A. alliance may face a complete shutout in the Lok Sabha election. The results of this election are slated to be announced on Tuesday, June 4. India Today-Axis My India also corroborates the BJP’s sweeping victory in Delhi, while People Inside Polstrat and other polls echo similar sentiments. However, a few projections speculate that Congress may make marginal gains by clinching one or two seats.
Before the polls, many speculated that the BJP would face significant challenges due to issues such as inflation, unemployment, and the Manipur incident. Nevertheless, the BJP managed to overcome these obstacles and secure victory in all parliamentary constituencies in Delhi.
The Lok Sabha elections in Delhi were conducted in a single phase, with voting for all seven seats held on May 25 during Phase 6. The electoral battle primarily revolved around a bipolar contest between the BJP and the I.N.D.I.A. alliance, led by Congress. The Aam Adami Party fielded four candidates, while Congress fielded three. Notably, the BJP replaced six of its seven MPs, retaining only North East Delhi MP Manoj Tiwari.
Delhi had long been a stronghold of the Congress, which governed the state for 15 consecutive years until suffering a significant defeat at the hands of the AAP in 2015. However, in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress and AAP joined forces to challenge the BJP.
Despite optimism within the AAP about successfully transferring votes to Congress, the actual outcome seemed less promising, as indicated by insiders. Congress sources expressed confidence in winning Chandni Chowk and Northeast Delhi, while AAP anticipated favourable results in the West and East Delhi seats.
A Congress leader highlighted that securing a Lok Sabha seat in Delhi would provide the party with a platform to rejuvenate itself in the state and energize its cadre for future assembly elections. Currently, the Congress cadre appears fragmented, but winning even one Lok Sabha seat would establish a power centre in the capital.
Responding to the exit polls, the BJP expressed certainty in sweeping all seven seats, albeit with narrower margins than before. R.P. Singh, the BJP national spokesperson, emphasized that the results reflected a loss of faith among Delhiites in Congress and AAP, signalling increased trust in the BJP and boding well for the forthcoming assembly elections.
While voter turnout dipped slightly to 58.69%, compared to 60.6% in 2019, Northeast Delhi recorded the highest turnout at 62.89%, while New Delhi had the lowest at 55.43%. Despite expectations of tighter margins compared to the 2019 polls, Chandni Chowk, Northeast, West, and South Delhi constituencies were projected to witness close contests, with the eventual winners likely to secure victory by narrow margins in terms of vote share.