Delhi Assembly polls: CM Atishi trails behind BJP's Ramesh Bidhuri in politically crucial Kalkaji seat

Senior BJP leader and former MP Ramesh Bidhuri is leading the seat, as per early trends.

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The other heavyweight contestant from the seat- Alka Lamba of the Congress-is also trailing behind.

BJP marches ahead in Delhi

Trouncing Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party, which has been ruling the national capital for two consecutive terms, the Bharatiya Janata Party took an early lead in 42 seats.

The AAP is leading in 28 seats.

The Congress is eyeing for another dismal show since the grand old party failed to take a lead in any of the seats so far.

In 2020, the AAP stormed back to power after its dominant show in 2015, by winning 62 seats in the 70-seat Delhi Assembly.

The BJP rose prominently since it managed to win only 8 seats in 2020.

Exit polls predicted BJP's return

Most exit polls had predicted that the BJP would return to power in Delhi after 27 years.

The projection indicated a significant setback for Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP.

The party is aiming for a third consecutive term following its near-total victories in 2015 and 2020.

A party must win at least 36 seats to secure a majority in the 70-seat Delhi Assembly.

The BJP last held power in December 1998 before the Congress won the elections, leading to Sheila Dikshit's tenure as Delhi chief minister for three consecutive terms.

The Congress, which has struggled in Delhi since the Sheila Dikshit era, is expected to win no more than 1–2 seats, as per the best estimates by pollsters.