By The Sampadak Express
The intense campaigning for the Delhi Assembly election, scheduled for February 5, 2025, came to an end on Monday evening. Political leaders from all major parties—AAP, BJP, and Congress—engaged in a flurry of roadshows, public meetings, padayatras, and bike rallies to garner support.
With the conclusion of the campaign, the mandatory silence period began and will last until voting opens at 7 a.m. on Wednesday. Since the poll schedule was announced on January 7, political heavyweights such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi have spearheaded their respective party campaigns across the capital.
The political battle has been marked by sharp exchanges, with the BJP accusing Kejriwal of corruption, while AAP focused on its achievements in education and healthcare. Both the AAP and BJP aimed to attract the Purvanchali voter base, a significant demographic in Delhi, with promises for grand Chhath Puja celebrations and the use of Bhojpuri campaign songs.
Kejriwal has also leveled accusations against the BJP, the Election Commission, and the Delhi Police, alleging a coordinated effort to undermine AAP’s campaign. Both sides have accused each other of vote manipulation in the lead-up to the polls.
Election Dates and Key Facts
The Delhi Assembly election will take place in a single phase on February 5, 2025. Votes will be counted on February 8, 2025. A total of 699 candidates are contesting across 70 constituencies, with the election being seen as a referendum on the AAP’s governance and the BJP’s bid to regain power.
The term of the current 70-member Delhi Assembly ends on February 23, and AAP, led by Arvind Kejriwal, is aiming for a third consecutive term in office. Meanwhile, the BJP is putting up a strong fight to reclaim the capital, while Congress, which had allied with AAP during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, is contesting independently.
According to the Delhi Chief Electoral Officer, there are 1.56 crore eligible voters, including 83.76 lakh men, 72.36 lakh women, and 1,267 third-gender voters. A total of 13,766 polling stations have been set up across the city, with 733 polling stations designated for persons with disabilities. The Election Commission has also launched a Queue Management System (QMS) app to help voters monitor crowd levels at polling stations in real-time.
Key Candidates
Arvind Kejriwal (AAP) is contesting from the New Delhi seat, facing BJP’s Parvesh Verma and Congress’s Sandeep Dikshit.
Atishi (AAP) is running in Kalkaji, where she will compete against Congress’s Alka Lamba and BJP’s Ramesh Bidhuri.
Manish Sisodia (AAP) is contesting from Jangpura, facing BJP’s Tarvinder Singh Marwah and Congress’s Farhad Suri.
Satyendar Jain (AAP) is running in Shakur Basti against BJP’s Karnail Singh.
Awadh Ojha (AAP), a teacher-turned-politician, is challenging BJP’s Ravinder Singh Negi and Congress’s Anil Chaudhary.
Somnath Bharti (AAP) is again contesting in Malviya Nagar, where he faces BJP’s Satish Upadhyay and Congress’s Jitendra Kumar Kochar.
Campaign Highlights
The 27-day election campaign has been a fierce clash between AAP, BJP, and Congress, with debates revolving around issues like “Sheesh Mahal vs Rajmahal,” “poisonous Yamuna,” “Bin Dulhe Ki Barat,” freebies, and personal attacks. BJP and Congress have criticized Kejriwal’s leadership using the “Sheesh Mahal” and “liquor scam” narratives.
In response, AAP accused the BJP of poor law and order, highlighting issues under Union Minister Amit Shah. Kejriwal also mocked Prime Minister Modi’s lavish residence, calling it a “Raj Mahal.”
Controversy erupted when Kejriwal alleged that the BJP-led Haryana government had poisoned the Yamuna water flowing to Delhi, accusing them of attempting “genocide” and conspiring to create a water crisis.
Freebies and Promises
As expected, all three parties have promised a range of freebies in their manifestos. AAP and BJP have both promised monthly cash grants for women, free healthcare for the elderly, and free electricity units. AAP has also pledged monthly payments to temple priests and gurdwara granthis, as well as free bus rides and schemes for youth, students, and auto-taxi drivers.
The BJP promised ₹21,000 for expecting mothers, while Congress offered ₹8,500 per month for unemployed youth. Both BJP and Congress have pledged to provide cooking gas cylinders at ₹500.
Security Arrangements for February 5 Election
To ensure a peaceful election, over 30,000 police personnel and 220 paramilitary companies have been deployed across Delhi. Special security measures, including drone surveillance, are in place, especially for sensitive polling stations. Nearly 3,000 polling booths have been marked as sensitive, with additional police forces and Quick Reaction Teams (QRTs) stationed at these locations to maintain order.
The Delhi Police have already made record seizures of drugs, liquor, and cash, with pre-poll security arrangements well underway to ensure a fair and smooth election process.
With intense political campaigning, substantial security measures, and a high-stakes contest, all eyes are now on the February 5 election. Delhi’s voters will have the final say in this pivotal election, which is expected to shape the city’s political landscape for the next five years.
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