Modi’s BJP ahead in tightly-fought race

The party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is ahead of his rivals in the Indian capital Delhi, where votes are counted after a closely disputed election.

The Bharatiya Janata (BJP) party is leading in 41 seats of the legislative assembly of 70 members, while the party in place Aam Aadmi (AAP) is ahead in 28 seats, according to data published so far by the India electoral commission (CE).

However, these are early tracks and the count may change because more votes are counted throughout the day.

A party that earns more than the half of 35 seats can form the government.

Most of the exit polls, following the vote on Wednesday, predicted an absolute majority for the BJP, giving them more than 35 seats.

However, analysts warn that the exit polls, published by various press agencies, have often been wrong in the past and are not impartial.

Winning Delhi is a prestigious battle for the two frontrunners, given its symbolic importance as a capital.

The city, a territory administered by the federal government, has been governed by the AAP since 2013, the voters supporting its solid report of Welfarism. But the party and its leaders were recently involved in allegations of corruption – which they denied.

For the BJP, the security of Delhi represents more than a simple electoral success – it would mark a crucial establishment in the national capital after having been out of power since 1998.

The party, which had recent electoral success In other states, such as the Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh, launched resources in the Delhi campaign, with Modi as well as the Minister of the Interior Amit Shah attending events.

The Congress, the main opposition party at the national level, is also in the race, but the polls indicate a dark perspective.

The party ruled Delhi from 1998 to 2013, but was ousted by allegations of corruption which saw the voters turn to the AAP. He has not managed to make a brand since.

This time, more than 60% of eligible voters voted in the survey.

Delhi has a single governance structure.

The main decisions related to public order, police and land are taken by Lieutenant Governor (LG) which is appointed by the federal government. State legislature manages issues, including education, health and public services.

This division has often caused friction between the federal government and the state legislature when managed by rival parties.

The structure of power is also a reason why the electoral campaign in Delhi is more focused on well-being than on political or identity problems, which play a more important role in the elections elsewhere in the country.

The AAP and BJP campaigns have both promised improvements to public schools and free health services as well as cash documents to women.

Meanwhile, the BJP also hoped for a boost compared to last week federal budgetwhich has reduced the income tax of the middle class, a key voting block in the capital.

Experts say that a BJP victory in politically crucial Delhi will strengthen Modi’s popularity among Indian voters after his party has lost its pure and simple majority in last year general election.

It would also be a hard blow for the AAP, a much smaller party that was greeted in its first years in power to focus on improving education and health establishments in the city.

A large part of the BJP campaign has targeted the chief of the AAP Arvind KejriwalAn anti-grafting activist, who was imprisoned in a case of corruption relating to an alcohol sales policy now lapsed last year.

Kejriwal, who denies all allegations and has been released deposit In September, accused the party of Modi of making a “political vendetta” against him and the AAP, loaded that the BJP denies.

The conditions of release under the surety of the Supreme Court prohibit him to enter the office of the chief minister or to sign files. Kejriwal resigned from his days after his release from prison.

The bitter campaign and several weeks to win the capital has focused heavily on social protection facilities for its residents. A subject, however, remained outside the agenda – the crisis in the perennial air pollution of Delhi which affects the city by more than 30 million for a large part of the year.

The BJP has promised to reduce the city’s air quality (AQI) index by 2030 if it wins. But the problem did not dominate discussions or become a subject of discussion in the electoral campaign.

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