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Journalism of Courage
BJP’s bet on Shaheen Bagh doesn’t seem to have paid off as the party looks to finish a distant second in the Delhi Assembly elections 2020. However, it has put up a better show than it did in 2015, leading in 12 seats in the 70-member House at 12.30 pm. In the last election, the party had managed to win only three seats, while the AAP bagged the rest 67 seats.
BJP’s candidate with the highest margin at this moment is Jagdish Pradhan, who is leading by over 26,500 votes from the Mustafabad seat. AAP’s Haji Yunus trails.
The closest fight, meanwhile, is between BJP’s Sanjay Goyal and AAP’s Ram Niwas Goel from the Shahdara seat. The difference is 678 votes.
Follow live updates on the Delhi Election Results 2020
Despite the results, the party has not lost face, with its Delhi unit chief Manoj Tiwari saying he was confident BJP would form the government in the capital. “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,” he said this morning, reported news agency PTI.
Up against the Aam Aadmi Party’s projection of health, education, and power etc, the BJP led a vitriolic campaign with some of its party leaders resorting to hate speech.
Also read | Here’s what happening in seats that saw anti-CAA protests
The party’s campaign centered around Shaheen Bagh and protests against the new citizenship law. Union Minister Home Minister Amit Shah had repeated in several rallies that those participating in anti-CAA protests were anti-nationals. His Cabinet colleague, Anurag Thakur, instigated BJP supporters at a rally to chant ‘Desh ke gaddaroon ko, goli maaro..” Another BJP MP, Pervesh Verma had said that Shaheen Bagh protesters could “enter homes and rape sisters and daughters”.
The Election Commission had cracked its whip, handing out campaign bans on Thakur and Verma for violating the model code of conduct.
