The 2025 Delhi Assembly elections have taken center stage as Arvind Kejriwal, the leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and former Chief Minister, battles to retain his seat from the New Delhi constituency. This election brings not only the usual political fervor but also the weight of the 55-year-old Kejriwal’s contentious past, as he seeks redemption after stepping down amid corruption allegations.
The counting of votes began at 8:00 AM on February 8, with trends indicating a tight race. Early data suggested AAP's Arvind Kejriwal was leading against his closest rivals—Parvesh Verma, representing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Sandeep Dikshit from the Congress Party. By around 10:30 AM, Kejriwal was edging out with approximately 7949 votes, leading by 250 votes, as reported during the live updates of the election.
Located at the heart of India’s capital, the New Delhi assembly constituency is not only significant due to its administrative roles but also as one of the most prestigious seats within Delhi’s political framework. It encompasses major institutions like the Rashtrapati Bhavan and the Parliament House. Historically, it is known for hosting fierce electoral battles among leading political factions.
During the previous election cycles, Kejriwal has made this seat his stronghold, winning it multiple times—first claiming victory with over 67% of the votes back in 2015 and maintaining similar success levels through subsequent polls. The 2020 elections saw him entering with substantial support as he outperformed the BJP by over 21,000 votes, demonstrating his governance model’s appeal, primarily through increasing educational standards and healthcare access for Delhi residents.
This time around, political stakes are heightened for all parties involved. The 2025 election features 699 candidates who competed for 70 seats across the territory, with approximately 15 million registered voters participating. For the AAP, this election symbolizes not just the attempt to maintain governing power but also serves to restore their image after recent scandals. Kejriwal’s temporary exit from politics, forced by his imprisonment over allegations related to the controversial liquor policy, casts doubt and renewed scrutiny on his leadership.
Reports of trends have indicated mixed fortunes for the candidates, with some analysts questioning the effectiveness of Kejriwal’s campaign strategies post-imprisonment. According to early voting trends, the BJP, historically unsuccessful at winning the New Delhi seat since 1977, is rumored to make significant gains, showing promise of possibly overtaking AAP’s long-standing dominance.
At the helm of the opposition, BJP's Parvesh Verma has positioned himself as not only the rival but also as someone who wishes to champion the criticisms against Kejriwal’s governing capabilities, citing corruption as his rallying point. He alleged poor governance and corruption, claiming, “Delhi’s people will only judge based on the last 10 years of AAP’s rule.”
Meanwhile, Congress’s Sandeep Dikshit, who is also campaigning actively, sees this contest as deeply personal, being the son of the late Sheila Dikshit, the former CM, who was defeated by Kejriwal on this very seat during her last election. Although currently trailing, Dikshit maintains hope for recovery as his campaign focused on reaching out to citizens at the grassroots level.
Despite these challenges, AAP’s internal members have expressed optimism. Former MLA Somnath Bharti publicly downplayed concerns about exit polls. He stated, “I have served the people for 11 years, hence, I am neither worried about the elections nor the results,” asserting confidence once votes were tabulated. This sentiment was echoed by AAP spokesperson Bobby Badal, who maintained, “Arvind Kejriwal stands tall, asserting the elections were mismanaged by the opposition.”
The timing of this election also coincides with heightened public interest, particularly due to claims from various exit polls indicating the emergence of the BJP's revived popularity, forecasting them to gain between 45 to 55 seats, significantly outpacing the AAP's probable losses. This claim adds pressure to the AAP, who have now been firmly entrenched for nearly eight years.
With these dynamics at play, all eyes are on the final results. It remains unclear whether Kejriwal's bid to maintain not just his seat, but also his legacy, will prevail against the BJP and Congress efforts to destabilize his party’s stronghold. Will he be able to transform this electoral challenge back to AAP’s advantage or will the wave of change sweep him out? The outcome of the 2025 elections is drawing closer, and the citizens of Delhi are poised to express their verdict.
While the polls remain too tight to call definitively, the spirit of the campaign demonstrates the high stakes involved. Kejriwal must navigate not just his rivals, but also the shadow of the past, including his controversial jail time and corruption allegations, as he contemplates the future direction of AAP within the highly competitive political arena of Delhi.