Spectacular victory for BJP in MCD polls, blow to AAP

Tribune News Service 

New Delhi, April 26

The BJP on Wednesday scored a hat-trick in the Delhi civic polls as it comfortably retained control of the three municipal corporations, dealing a severe blow to the AAP and dashing the Congress' hope of a revival.

Winning 181 out of 270 wards where elections were held, the saffron party added muscle to its decade-long domination of the corporations effortlessly bucking anti-incumbency by riding on the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Aam Aadmi Party finished second in the municipal polls winning 48 wards, followed by the Congress with 30 seats.

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The BJP's corporation-wise tally is: SDMC - 70, NDMC - 64 and EDMC - 47 as against AAP's tally of 16, 21 and 11, respectively. Congress finished last with 12, 15 and 3 wards.

Counting of votes began at 8 am today with the BJP gaining early leads in all the three municipal corporations - NDMC, SDMC and EDMC.

Meanwhile, the BJP dedicated its impending win to the slain CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district and decided to refrain from any celebrations.

Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari said every heart is filled with grief over Monday's killing of 25 CRPF men by Naxals in Sukma and the party will not celebrate the victory.

"But for the Sukma incident, we would be on the streets celebrating this massive victory. We dedicate this win in the feet of Sukma martyrs," he said.

The AAP's humiliating defeat plunged the party into a crisis even as its top leadership put up a brave front suggesting it was all expected due to tampering with EVMs, an allegation that has been rubbished by the Election Commission.

"EVM tampering is the bitter truth of the country's democracy. One can crack jokes on us initially, but fearing being made fun of, we cannot refrain from speaking the truth," Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia told reporters.

Meanwhile, DPCC chief Ajay Maken offered to resign from his post, accepting moral responsibility for the Congress' dismal performance in the civic polls.

"It is a reasonable revival of the Congress but I had hoped for something better than this. I had expected to perform a little better.

"So, as the president of Delhi Congress, I take moral responsibility and offer to resign from my post. I have decided to resign from my post," Maken said. — PTI 

FINAL RESULTS 

Total seats: 270

MCD NORTH (103)

MCD EAST (63)

MCD SOUTH (104)

READ

• Kejriwal must resign, BJP will clean Delhi in 4 months: Manoj Tiwari
• Kejriwal congratulates BJP, refrains from raising EVM issue
• Take responsibility, will resign as Delhi Cong Chief: Ajay Maken
• No celebrations, BJP to dedicate MCD win to slain CRPF jawans
• Was not invited to campaign for Congress: Sheila Dikshit
• As AAP wilts, Alka Lamba offers to quit as MLA