Exit polls predict sweep for BJP in Delhi, AAP staring at rout

New Delhi, April 23

The BJP could be headed for a landslide victory in the Delhi municipal polls with two exit polls predicting the party finishing way ahead of the AAP and the Congress with over 200 of the 270 wards where polling was held on Sunday.

Going by the projected figures, the AAP could well be staring at a rout on its home turf, barely two years into its rise to power bagging a staggering 67 of the 70 Assembly seats, while the Congress' attempt to regain ground may come a cropper.

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According to the India Today-Axis exit poll, the BJP may bag anything between 202 and 220 seats, while the AAP and the Congress will score something around 23-35 and 19-31, respectively.

The CVoter-ABP exit poll claimed the BJP was likely to sweep Delhi with 218 seats, limiting the AAP and the Congress to 24 and 22 seats, respectively.

The counting will take place on April 26.

Polling was held in 270 wards of the three municipal corporations. The election to two wards has been postponed due to the death of candidates.

Notice to 2 channels for airing opinion polls

The Delhi State Election Commission (SEC) has sent notices to two private news channels for airing opinion polls on the MCD elections.

The two channels -- Times Now and ABP News -- have been asked to give reasons for airing the opinion polls in violation of Election Commission guidelines, SEC officials said at a press conference here.

The Delhi unit of the Congress had yesterday approached the SEC against a leading media house which had published and aired opinion polls on the municipal elections.

The party had sought action against the 'Times of India' and 'Times Now' for "violating" the guidelines and Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of the Election Commission by publishing and airing opinion polls during the 48-hour period preceding the closing of polls.

"This grossly violates the concept of a free-and-fair election, which is the foundation of our democracy," the letter, signed by Congress leaders Sharmistha Mukherjee and Aman Panwar, had said.

It had cited the relevant guidelines of the commission which barred media houses from putting out opinion polls "during the period of 48 hours, ending with the hour fixed for closing of poll in an election held in a single phase". — PTI