After exit polls predict AAP victory in MCD polls, Kejriwal thanks Delhiites for believing in party

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi polls were held Sunday across all 250 wards after they were merged earlier this year. The exit polls, which were released ahead of the MCD election results Wednesday, showed a clean sweep by the AAP, with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) a distant second. In the last MCD polls in 2017, the BJP won 181 of the 272 seats, the AAP got 48, and Congress managed 30 seats.

The BJP, which ruled the MCD for 15 years, has been battling anti-incumbency as well as a sustained attack by the AAP over issues such as solid waste management, financial mismanagement, and corruption.

“I also saw the exit polls yesterday and I thank the people of Delhi for believing in us once again. We are waiting for tomorrow’s final result and hope to sweep MCD as predicted,” said Kejriwal at Vidhan Sabha where he paid floral tribute to B R Ambedkar on his Mahaparivan Diwas.

Responding to the exit poll predictions on the Gujarat Assembly elections, where the party is contesting for the first time, he said, “We are positive. A new party has entered to contest the elections in a place which is said to be the BJP’s ground. Even a 10-20 per cent vote share will be big for the AAP. Let’s wait for the final results.”

In Gujarat, the exit polls have forecast a comeback by the BJP for the seventh term and also showed the AAP is set to make inroads in the state’s politics

The Delhi chief minister also appealed to people to follow the teachings and principles of Ambedkar. “Today’s Baba Saheb Ambedkar’s Mahaparivan Diwas. We should all take inspiration from his teaching… He fought and worked all his life for the rights of Dalits, women, and the underprivileged. His dream was to reach out to the last person in this country and our government works on his principles. I advise everyone to get inspired and follow his principles,” he added.