Voters headed to the polls in India's capital Saturday, with firebrand former chief minister and Aam Adami Party (AAP) candidate Arvind Kejriwal looking to complete a surprise comeback and deliver the first major blow to Narendra Modi's premiership.
Less than a year on from his resignation as head of Delhi's state government after just 49 days in office, most polls say Kejriwal's anti-corruption party is set to push Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) into second place when results are announced Tuesday.
The selection of Kiran Bedi as BJP's ministerial candidate has opened a can of worms, with many BJP activists furious at having to campaign for the 65-year-old who has a history of disparaging the BJP.
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On DawnNews
Comments (43) Closed
dwarakanath
Feb 07, 2015 02:10pm
It is not a surprise if AK party win the election just because too much appeasement to minorities and vote polarization of hindu and minorities ,
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Neo
Feb 07, 2015 02:13pm
the people, the clothes are a riot of colors...seems a bit orthodox...where are the people shown in Bollywood. I admire the awareness in the middle and lower middle class about their voting rights. Great awakening.
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John
Feb 07, 2015 02:14pm
Good Luck APP
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radhakrishna
Feb 07, 2015 02:27pm
Aravind kejriwal is supported by black marketeers ,minorities and some radical organisations .if he wins it is really dangerous to Indian democracy
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sharabi
Feb 07, 2015 02:36pm
used my vote at 8:30 AM, Voted for BJP.
Not BJP or AAP the real winner is Election commission of India for excellent arrangements.
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Yash
Feb 07, 2015 02:37pm
Reading and looking at the pictures in this article who can raise fingers about Indian democracy. Proud to be an Indian.
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SHAIKH JAMAL
Feb 07, 2015 02:39pm
This is a joy of Indian democracy. Thousands of people are gathering, stand in a queue for casting their vote in Delhi Assembly election 2015. AAP party lead by Arbind Kejriwal will win the election due to all corner of people of the society except BJP, RSS, VHP, are supporting AAP party. Major portion of muslim voters (20% in Delhi) will support AAP. This is a peaceful election. No dispute/fighting at all for this election. Everybody has right to cast their vote with accompanied their voter ID card. Undemocratic nation/society of the world will learn from this election. Fundamentalist particularly from Middle East to South Asia can learn this election, On February 10, we will see the exact result of the election. My congratulation to the people of Delhi as well as new government for their tireless fighting for the Election.
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Dr.Cajetan Coelho
Feb 07, 2015 03:23pm
Individual candidates and parties competing to get elected to serve fellow brethren is a healthy sign. Wishing voters and candidates much success in their aspirations and dreams.
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radhika
Feb 07, 2015 03:25pm
Instead of paper ballot EVM (electronic voting machine ) is being used for the elections and the elections conducted in India is free and frank ,no rigging and no fraxy voting and appreciated by many countries all over the world .The results can be known with in 4 hrs of beginning of counting .The indelible ink that is being used for avoiding second time voting by a voter is manufactured only in Mysore govt factory and many countries like Bangladesh ,Srilanka ,Bhutan , Burma including Pakistan are using same ink imported from India
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Sunil
Feb 07, 2015 03:40pm
Go AAP all the way to the victory stand.
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Aurora
Feb 07, 2015 04:30pm
Must thank Election Commission of India for the smooth conduct of Delhi elections.Elections in India have become free from ballot paper with the use of EVMs and the writ of commission is respected by all.Must remember Mr TN Sheshan who leashed all political parties in 90s and since than parties and their candidates remain in awe of ECI during the period.
This time its going to be close fight with BJP springing up a surprise candidate despite AAP's re promises.The CM candidate Ms Kiran Bedi has many pluses on her side despite anyone in BJP Delhi having a sullen face after she was declared CM candidate.Delhi public has seen her work in Delhi Police .An Asian women tennis champion and a daring Lady Police officer who fully backed the Inspector under her command who challaned a PMO car when Mrs Indira Gandhi was PM resultig in fine payment by PMO. A no nonsense hard core honest and hardworking person that she is , will be a good CM for an ever expanding Delhi.Hope for the best.
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Kashmiri34
Feb 07, 2015 06:37pm
AK should be win...Winning AK is not meant defeat of Modi....State and Center Politics is completely different...Even AK did not get any single seat in Lok Sabha Election....
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Amir Indian
Feb 07, 2015 06:45pm
67% voting in Delhi Election. Result declared on 10 Feb.
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kkindian
Feb 07, 2015 10:13pm
Ak..Better then the best modi that v have as our pm....proud of India n its people
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fida sayani USA
Feb 08, 2015 05:08am
@Aurora
Pakistani corrupt Police should make Ms. Bedi a mentor and turn honest.
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Qāzi (Pākistān)
Feb 08, 2015 05:30am
Even in a small place like Dilli, it takes 48+ hours for the election results to be fnalised / announced?
Hard to tell if Kirun Bedi is a woman or a man. I am rooting for Unnā Hazāré and Urvind Kejriwāl. I hope this time round Urvind does not disappoint voters with mis-steps like travelling business class or walking away from it all if he does not get what he want
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John
Feb 08, 2015 07:57am
Even Obama's visit and hugs cannot help Modi. What a waste of money...
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JP
Feb 08, 2015 04:13pm
@Qāzi (Pākistān)
> Hard to tell if Kirun Bedi is a woman or a man.
Eh? Does she have to look like a Bollywood heroine to qualify as a woman for you? She had a caring woman's touch in everything she did in her remarkable police career. She may not win this time, but I hope she contests another election.
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Altaf Hussain
Feb 08, 2015 07:24pm
@SHAIKH JAMAL Why would BJP as itself a national party would support AAP.
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Sachin Rana
Feb 08, 2015 09:14pm
@Qāzi (Pākistān) No its take only 3-6hours once counting of vote start We have elctronic voting machine with is most advance and reliable
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Hassan
Feb 09, 2015 02:45am
Nice to Indian democracy in action and many many congrats to the " Muffler Man"....
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Naveen
Feb 09, 2015 08:55am
@Qāzi (Pākistān) - Because counting is done on a single day, almost 3 days after elections. So counting has not started. Every such decision is based on movement of police force and their redeployment. So, it is they who tell election commission, how much time they need for redeploying force and election commission will announce the counting date based on it.
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Gajanan
Feb 09, 2015 11:47am
I also seen your photographs of Mr Obama visit to india and now of Delhi election.
thanks to you for showing us photography of events in our coutry (in real form) .
your photography itself speaks, describes all.... which i not located in indian news papers.
thanks to you, again..
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Rahul
Feb 09, 2015 01:01pm
@Qāzi (Pākistān) So now you want us to count votes faster? Well we will take a week, or whatever amount of time we think is necessary
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Qamar from Ballimaran
Feb 09, 2015 02:06pm
@Qāzi (Pākistān) Actually bro, there is a 2-3 day gap between the day of poll and counting. So if voting is on 7th, counting will start on 10th. This gap is to allow any re-poll which might happen due to violence, rigging etc etc if proved. The actual counting takes only 4-5 hours. Even the last Parliamentary elections counting was over in 6 hours for the entire country. No complaints of any dhandli, bogus voting was there even from those who lost the polls.
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satish.beniwal257@gmail.com
Feb 09, 2015 04:14pm
Super photos ...
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Bobby
Feb 09, 2015 07:13pm
@radhakrishna : Arvind Kejriwal is supported by those who are hurt most by corruption and meanness of society at large. If AK wins it will be dawn of corruption free honest world.
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Amitabh
Feb 09, 2015 09:48pm
@Qāzi (Pākistān) Can you please post your dictionary so that we can decipher what you have tried to say in your language?
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Adil Jadoon
Feb 10, 2015 01:45am
@dwarakanath what do you mean by too much appeasement to minorities? Polarization does make sense and are you surprised?
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Adil Jadoon
Feb 10, 2015 01:45am
@radhakrishna Yeah right!
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Adil Jadoon
Feb 10, 2015 01:48am
@radhika The ink is useless! you can immerse a person in it and it wont make a difference. Electronic voting machines a step forward and good luck with the elections.
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Adil Jadoon
Feb 10, 2015 01:49am
@Amitabh It is not that hard actually or pehaps it is an alien language for you????
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Nimit Tandon
Feb 10, 2015 02:03am
India is a secular country and this will blow Modi and his orthodox party to only support that better government will prevail. Political parties that divide people based on religion or caste will see a major setback. This will be a referendum to Modi government and a people's verdict that he has to accept.
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arjun
Feb 10, 2015 02:21am
anarchist will win today with more than 45 seats due to Delhi people want opposition for a healthy Democracy...
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jen
Feb 10, 2015 06:59pm
@Quazi Dont get offended by the comments posted by indians for your comment. They have misunderstood you as a decent guy.
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Khalid Baloch
Feb 10, 2015 08:51pm
@Neo - Bollywood is all fake man.
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guest
Feb 11, 2015 01:24am
@Neo what makes you think these are middle and lower middle class people? The way they look?
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Qāzi (Pākistān)
Feb 11, 2015 05:10am
67-3, this is way beyond expectations, a blow-out! Urvind and Kirun were together under Unnā, but Kirun turned coat and deserved the hiding. Huge responsibility on Kejriwāl's shoulders now. He better start implementing election promises immediately or suffer the same short honeymoon as the egomaniac Modi.
Upwards and onwards to Bihār now, AAP.
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shekhar
Feb 11, 2015 12:03pm
well fine its a democracy, but ppl need to be aware who has administrative skill and who is only anarchist.... till then always there will be chaos.
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Gaurav Arya
Feb 11, 2015 12:14pm
The best part of the election was that no one disputed the Election Commission's verdict, no one accused the other of ballot/ booth capturing and as soon as the results were declared, the losers immediately congratulated the winners and went home. The biggest winner is not AAP. It is the Election Commission of India and the way they hold elections.
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kaliraja t
Feb 11, 2015 06:52pm
@Neo Bollywood is a dream.It is different world from reality India.Please awake to normal life.
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kumar swami
Feb 11, 2015 08:21pm
These pictures should open the minds of Pakistanis, that the people of India care for their welfare and are least concerned about the Pakistanis and the enmity. Hope this gets reflected in the general National elections and turn out corrupt inefficient governments at every level. It is a clear warning to BJP and their religious bigots.
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Dinesh M.
Feb 12, 2015 12:12am
Good pictures! Wish there were more pictures of voters readying to vote than the leaders voting.
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