These were the most significant elections in the Indian political calendar, the Delhi Assembly elections of 2025. The contest had high stakes because Delhi is the political and administrative capital of the country and Delhi went to polls to elect the assembly that will rule the National Capital Territory (NCT) for another five years. The votes settled the composition of the 70-member legislative assembly. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) crossed the majority mark and made a comeback after 27 years defeating Aam Admi Party (AAP).
Election Schedule And Important Dates
The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the election schedule well ahead of time, laying the ground for a strong democratic process. The Gazette circulated the notification on January 10, 2025, and the candidates submitted their nominations till January 17. Nominations were filed on January 18 and the deadline for withdrawal of nominations was January 20. The voting was done on February 5 and counting on February 8. The national capital saw a 60.24% turnout on February 5 in the high-stakes triangular contest.
Political Landscape
The 2025 elections saw a triangular contest between the AAP, the BJP and the Indian National Congress. Each party’s new faces took on old foes, whether they represented old or new parties while employing parties’ divergent agendas and strategies to try to win over Delhi’s many electorates.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP): AAP, led by Arvind Kejriwal, had hoped to win a third consecutive term. AAP campaigned on its track record in education, healthcare and public welfare, and swept the 2020 elections winning 62 of the 70 seats, The party focused on its governance model while it was also claiming to have delivered on the promises made during its earlier tenure. But, as of writing the article, AAP won 13 seats and leading on 9. The manifesto focuses on things such as extending free electricity and water schemes, bettering health infrastructure and introducing urban mobility projects such as increasing bus services and extending metro connectivity. The curtailed mandate suggested a change in voter priorities and reflected, in part, displeasure with the party’s performance in areas like the economy.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP): The BJP had performed poorly in the assembly elections in a state where it has significant strength at the national level. The party won 8 seats in 2020 and failed to form a government. In the run-up to the 2025 elections, the BJP emphasised urban issues like infrastructure development and law and order. This time, the BJP was able to be ahead of others winning 25 seats and leading on 23. The BJP’s manifesto featured pledges on better waste disposal, measures to control pollution, Rs 2500 to women, modernising road infrastructure and employing the youth. The BJP’s victory was indicative of a well-oiled campaign, appealing to the urban electorate through a lens of development and governance.
Indian National Congress: The Congress, once the all-powerful enemy of the BJP in Delhi, had suffered an incredible collapse, losing all seats in the 2020 elections. In the 2025 elections, the party fought all 70 seats separately hoping to revive its base. Despite these efforts, the Congress received 0 seats. The party’s manifesto emphasized affordable housing, women’s safety, and rejuvenating public education and health care systems.
Important Contested Voters and Candidates
A few constituencies became battlegrounds in the elections:
- New Delhi: New Delhi, a high-profile seat, garnered much attention. This constituency was contested by major parties’ big names which made it the centre of attraction for this election. The constituency witnessed a fierce battle between AAP’s sitting and BJP’s contestant. BJP’s Parvesh Verma defeated Arvind Kejriwal with more than 4000 votes.
- Kalkaji: A fierce contest between the key contenders and intense campaigning was witnessed in Kalkaji which has a competitive electoral history. The result in this constituency was a barometer of urban voter sentiment. BJP’s Ramesh Bidhuri lost to AAP’s Atishi Marlena.
Voter Demographics
The final voter list published on January 6, 2025, had a total of 1,55,24,858 registered voters, which was a 1.09% increase over the previous roll. Constituting all segments of society, people across the age pyramid, socio-economic classes and caste groups, Delhi’s electorate remained one of the most heterogeneous in the country. It’s this diversity that was critical to forming the electoral narrative and how campaigns were run. All major parties targeted voters in this demographic, promising measures in their manifestoes to address safety, welfare, and empowerment.
Elections: Preparation, Model Code of Conduct
With the announcement of election dates, the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) came into effect. The behaviour of political parties and candidates was regulated through the MCC (model code of conduct) to provide a sense of a fair and transparent electoral process. To implement these guidelines, the ECI, along with local authorities, strived to ensure adherence, observe campaign conduct, and promptly address any violations. Technology was used to the fullest, namely apps to monitor poll violations and ensure that voters had the appropriate provisions made to ensure their access.
Strategies and Issues in Campaigning
All the campaigns for the 2025 elections were centred on a combination of governance, development and social issues:
- Governance and Development: Owing to AAP’s proven track record around governance and various issues surrounding education, healthcare and public welfare, the party managed to image itself as a party whose agenda was about bringing an end to the exploitation of Delhi residents. Critics still said that the overly generous promise by the parties overshadowed its vision for sustainable development in the long run.
- Infrastructure and Urban Issues: The BJP highlighted its plans to combat infrastructure and urban issues such as traffic congestion and pollution, and to develop a modern urban landscape. Young people are attracted to the party’s emphasis on digital infrastructure and environmental issues.
- Economic Development: Devoting itself to the issues of economic development through large capacity building and world-class infrastructure projects.
Security and Election Integrity
The Election Commission, in conjunction with law enforcement agencies in Delhi, established strict protocols to ensure a free and fair election system. Poll centres had sufficient security personnel while malpractices were curbed through surveillance mechanisms. No efforts were spared also to address the grievances of voters and facilitate the differently-abled. Polling sites were outfitted with new technology to ensure the voting process went smoothly, and voter turnout is being carefully checked so that it can be fair.
