Delhi Assembly Election Results: AAP's Ajay Dutt Wins Ambedkar Nagar Constituency

Ajay Dutt of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) won from the Ambedkar Nagar Assembly constituency, according to the Election Commission. The Ambedkar Nagar seat voted on February 8, along with 69 other constituencies. Counting of votes polled in the high-stakes Delhi Assembly election began on Tuesday morning amid tight security at various centres set up to carry out the exercise. Ever since Delhi was Union Territory of Delhi was formally declared as National Capital Territory of Delhi by the Sixty-ninth Amendment to the Indian constitution and elections resumed in 1993, Ambedkar Nagar Constituency had been a Congress bastion untill the rise of AAP in 2013.

From 1993 to 2008, Prem Singh of the Congress party held the constituency for four consecutive terms. However, the party lost the ground after Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP stormed to power in 2013. Prem Singh lost for the first time against AAP's Ashok Kumar Chauhan. Singh, in fact came third and BJP's Khushi Ram Chunar was the runner-up.

Subsequently in 2015, AAP's Ajay Dutt registered a thumping victory by winning 68.38 per cent of the total votes polled. BJP's Ashok Kumar Chauhan was the distant second while Prem Singh of the Congress party came third. This year, AAP has again trusted Ajay Dutt, while the BJP has again banked on Khushi Ram Chunar. Yaduraj Chaudhary is the Congress candidate from the Ambedkar Nagar constituency.

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.