Mamata Banerjee, Chandrababu Naidu Congratulate Arvind Kejriwal On AAP's Performance

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday called up Arvind Kejriwal to congratulate him for his party's performance in Delhi Assembly polls. The Aam Aadmi Party appeared to be heading back to power for a second term in Delhi with the party leading in 58 seats of the 70 and the BJP ahead in 12 as votes for last week’s assembly elections were counted, according to Election Commission figures.

The contest for political power over the national capital was a bipolar one with the Congress nowhere in the reckoning, according to initial trends.  

AAP supremo and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was leading in the New Delhi seat by 4,300 seats, while his deputy Manish Sisodia from Patparganj seat was ahead by 102 votes.

BJP leader Vijender Gupta, who is also leader of opposition in the Delhi legislative assembly, was trailing by over 1,200 votes from Rohini.

As early celebrations broke out in the AAP headquarters in Rouse Avenue, BJP’s Delhi unit chief Manoj Tiwari asked his party supporters not to lose hope.

“There are 27 seats where the difference of votes is between 700 to 1,000,” Tiwari told reporters.

Looking ahead at victory, he said he was not nervous and was ready to take on the responsibilities that a win would bring.

“All talk is over. We have to wait for the blessings of the people. I am confident it will be a good day for BJP. We are coming to power in Delhi today. Don’t be surprised if we win 55 seats,” Tiwari said.

Kejriwal, who had led his party to a spectacular win of 67 of 70 seats in 2015,

is expected to address party workers and the media later in the day. However, his party workers were upbeat and in celebratory mode.