The Delhi assembly election 2025 will be held in a single phase on February 5, with results to be announced on February 8. A total of 1.56 crore people are expected to vote.
The difficult campaigning for the February 5 Delhi assembly election concluded on Monday evening, with key party leaders performing roadshows, public forums, padayatras, and bike rallies to persuade voters.
Following the end of outreach, a required silent period began, which will remain until voting begins on Wednesday at 7 a.m. Since the vote schedule was published on January 7, political leaders including as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, AAP’s Arvind Kejriwal, and Congress’ Rahul Gandhi have led campaigns throughout the city.
The political struggle heated up, with the BJP accusing Kejriwal of corruption while the AAP highlighted its successes in education and healthcare.
Both the AAP and the BJP targeted Purvanchali supporters, a crucial voting group in Delhi, with promises of spectacular Chhath Puja celebrations and Bhojpuri campaign songs.
During the campaign, Kejriwal accused the BJP, Election Commission, and Delhi Police of collaborating to sabotage the AAP’s efforts, while both parties accused each other of vote manipulation.
Delhi election date 2025
The Delhi assembly election will be held in a single phase on February 5, 2025, with results expected for counting on February 8, 2025.
With 699 candidates running in 70 seats, these elections are being considered as a referendum on the AAP’s leadership and the future of the BJP and Congress in Delhi for the next five years.
The tenure of the 70-member Delhi lawmakers ends on February 23, and the Aam Aadmi Party, led by Arvind Kejriwal, is seeking a third straight term. However, the BJP is stepping up its efforts to recapture power.
The Congress is also in the campaign, running independently while challenging both the BJP and the AAP, with whom it had collaborated during the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
According to the Delhi Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), 1.56 crore electors are eligible to vote in 13,766 polling locations. This comprises 83.76 lakh males, 72.36 lakh females, and 1,267 third-gender voters.
To provide accessibility, 733 voting locations have been designated for people with impairments. The Election Commission has also introduced the Queue Management System (QMS) app, which enables voters to view real-time crowd levels at voting places.
Key Candidates
Arvind Kejriwal, the former chief minister, is running for the New Delhi seat again, this time against BJP candidate Parvesh Verma and Congress candidate Sandeep Dikshit.
In the Kalkaji seat, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, an AAP candidate, will face Congress leader Alka Lamba and BJP’s Ramesh Bidhuri.
Manish Sisodia of the AAP is standing for the Jangpura seat against BJP’s Tarvinder Singh Marwah and Congress’ Farhad Suri. Satyendar Jain, a senior AAP politician, is running in Shakur Basti against BJP candidate Karnail Singh.
This year, the AAP is fielding Awadh Ojha, a teacher-turned-politician, against the BJP’s Ravinder Singh Negi and the Congress’s Anil Chaudhary.
Somnath Bharti of the AAP will run for the Malviya Nagar constituency again, this time against BJP candidate Satish Upadhyay and Congress candidate Jitendra Kumar Kochar.
Delhi election 2025 political campaigns
The 27-day rigorous campaigning for the February 5 Delhi assembly election saw a furious confrontation between the AAP, BJP, and Congress, with arguments concentrating on subjects such as “Sheesh Mahal vs Rajmahal”, “poisonous Yamuna”, “Bin Dulhe Ki Barat”, freebies, and personal assaults. The BJP and Congress used Sheesh Mahal and the “liquor scam” against Kejriwal.
The AAP replied, blaming the BJP of peace and order difficulties under Union Minister Amit Shah and insulting the cost of Modi’s mansion, describing to it as the “Raj Mahal”.
In his rallies, Modi called for the AAP’s ouster from power, referring to it as “AAP-da” (disaster) in the city.
The AAP retaliated, branding the BJP as the “Gali Galauj Party” because of BJP leader Ramesh Bidhuri’s claimed “abusive language”.
Kejriwal sparked outrage by stating that the BJP administration in Haryana “mixed poison” into the Yamuna water that flows to Delhi, accusing them of trying “genocide” in the city and planning a “conspiracy” to cause a water crisis.
Freebies
In their electoral manifestos, all three parties promised freebies, including monthly handouts of ₹2,100-2,500 for women, free healthcare for the elderly, and free energy units.
AAP and BJP campaigned fiercely for votes, with AAP pledging monthly payments to temple priests and gurdwara granthis, free bus trips, and initiatives for youth, students, and auto-taxi drivers.
Both the Congress and BJP have committed to offer cooking gas cylinders at ₹500. The BJP pledged ₹21,000 for expectant women, while the Congress provided ₹8,500 per month for jobless youngsters.
Security increased up for the February 5 2025 poll
According to an official report released on Monday, more than 30,000 police officers and 220 paramilitary battalions have been stationed around Delhi for the February 5 assembly election.
During a news conference, Special Commissioners of Police (Law and Order) Madhup Tewari (Zone-II) and Ravindra Yadav (Zone-I) addressed election security plans.
“All Delhi Police officers are dedicated to guaranteeing free, fair, and peaceful elections. “Pre-poll arrangements have already been made,” stated Special CP Ravindra Yadav.
Yadav emphasized the record seizures of narcotics, booze, and cash, stating that almost 3,000 voting stations had been designated as sensitive. These booths are subject to special security procedures, which include drone observation.
“For sensitive booths, additional police forces will be deployed, and Quick Reaction Teams (QRTs) will be stationed to maintain law and order,” Yadav told reporters.(With ANI and PTI inputs.)
