NEW DELHI: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal, accompanied by his wife Sunita Kejriwal and elderly parents Gobind Ram Kejriwal and Gita Devi, exercised their voting rights in the Delhi Assembly elections on Wednesday morning. The Kejriwal family, with his parents arriving in wheelchairs, cast their votes at Lady Irwin Senior Secondary School in the capital.
Speaking to reporters after voting, the 56-year-old former Delhi chief minister expressed pride in his parents’ dedication despite their frailty. “My parents were very excited to cast their votes and made every effort to do so. I urge the people of Delhi to come out and vote for the city’s development,” he said.
Sunita Kejriwal also expressed confidence in the electorate. “The people of Delhi are wise and discerning. They do not tolerate ‘gundagardi’ [hooliganism]. We firmly believe they will make the right decision,” she remarked.
Polling began at 7 am, with over 1.5 crore eligible voters across 70 constituencies. The elections are seen as a litmus test for Kejriwal’s AAP, which is seeking a third consecutive term. The New Delhi constituency remains a key battleground, with Kejriwal facing BJP’s Parvesh Verma and Congress’s Sandeep Dikshit.
By 1 pm, the single-phase assembly elections reported a voter turnout of 33.31%. The highest turnout was recorded in the North-East district at 39.51%, while Central Delhi saw the lowest at 29.74%. Other district turnouts included South West (35.44%), New Delhi (29.89%), and Shahdara (35.81%).
Amid tight security, AAP leader Saurabh Bhardwaj alleged voter interference by Delhi Police at a polling station in Chirag Delhi. On the other hand, BJP leader Manoj Tiwari expressed confidence in his party’s victory.
As AAP seeks a third straight term based on its governance record and welfare initiatives, the BJP is determined to regain control after 27 years. Congress, once a dominant player in Delhi politics, aims for a resurgence after failing to win any seats in the last two elections.
Kejriwal remained optimistic about the results, stating, “The one who works for Delhi will earn the votes of the people.”
