Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is on course to secure a decisive victory in the Delhi capital territory elections, according to exit polls released on Wednesday. If confirmed, the win would mark a significant political rebound for the ruling party after its unexpected setbacks in last year’s general elections.
The projections suggest that BJP will clinch an absolute majority in the 70-member Delhi Assembly, unseating the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which has governed the capital for the past decade. The defeat would mark a major blow for AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, a vocal critic of Modi, whose party emerged from an anti-corruption movement and has held power in Delhi since 2015.
AAP’s Decline and Kejriwal’s Legal Battles
AAP’s electoral performance has been overshadowed by the legal troubles of its leader, Arvind Kejriwal. The 55-year-old former chief minister was arrested on corruption charges just weeks before India’s general election, a move he denounced as a politically motivated attack orchestrated by the Modi government. The BJP has strongly denied these allegations.
Despite securing bail, Kejriwal resigned from his chief ministerial position to focus on leading his party’s campaign. However, the exit polls indicate that AAP has struggled to regain momentum amid a BJP resurgence in the capital.
Modi’s Political Resurgence
Modi’s BJP suffered a surprising setback in the 2024 general elections, losing its outright majority in parliament. However, Modi managed to retain his position as prime minister for an unprecedented third term with the support of regional allies. Since then, the BJP has regained electoral strength, winning two out of three state elections.
A victory in Delhi would further consolidate Modi’s position ahead of upcoming state elections and reinforce his party’s dominance in Indian politics. Delhi, as the seat of India’s parliament and federal institutions, holds symbolic significance, making BJP’s projected win even more consequential.
Exit Polls and Electoral Uncertainty
While the exit polls overwhelmingly favor BJP, their reliability remains uncertain. India’s electoral landscape is highly diverse, and past exit polls have occasionally failed to capture the final voting trends accurately. The official election results will determine whether BJP can officially reclaim Delhi or if AAP manages to stage a last-minute comeback.
For now, the projections suggest a major shift in Delhi’s political landscape, setting the stage for renewed BJP governance in the capital. With Kejriwal’s future uncertain and Modi’s party regaining its footing, Indian politics is poised for another dynamic phase of change.
