The vote counting for the Delhi Assembly elections is in progress, with the latest results showing a closely contested battle between the incumbent Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Reacting to the early trends in the Delhi Assembly election results, where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was leading in 45 seats and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in 25, social activist Anna Hazare expressed disappointment in AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal’s political journey. Hazare, who had previously mentored Kejriwal, criticised his leadership and approach to governance.
Hazare remarked, “I have always said that a candidate’s conduct, thoughts, and life should be pure, without blame, and centred on sacrifice. These qualities instil faith in voters. I advised Arvind Kejriwal on these principles, but he did not heed my advice. Instead, he became focused on issues like liquor. Why did this issue even arise? He was overwhelmed by money power,” Hazare added. His comments reflect his growing disillusionment with Kejriwal’s shift in priorities over the years.
In the ongoing vote count, Kejriwal was leading from the New Delhi constituency by 343 votes after three rounds of counting. However, his former deputy, Manish Sisodia, was trailing by a significant 1,314 votes in Jagpura. Chief Minister Atishi, another key AAP candidate, was also trailing BJP’s Ramesh Bidhuri by 1,149 votes in Kalkaji, according to early data from the Election Commission.
The BJP’s strong performance in the early stages of counting, especially in key constituencies, signals a serious challenge for the ruling AAP. Despite Kejriwal’s ongoing lead in New Delhi, the overall trends suggest a potential shift in Delhi’s political landscape, with Hazare’s criticism of Kejriwal’s leadership likely to add fuel to the debate.