NEW DELHI, DEC 08 -
After 15 long years in power the Congress was headed for a rout in
Delhi, with the BJP on the winning track, but it was debutante Aam Aadmi
Party (AAP) that put up a spectacular show in the battle for the
70-member assembly.
After result trends showed a clear end to the Congress rule, Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit
conceded defeat and submitted her resignation to Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung.
"I would like to thank everyone for their support. We will analyze what
went wrong later," a sombre-looking Dikshit told reporters outside her
house while declining to take questions.
Dikshit, 75, herself trailed behind AAP founder-leader Arvind Kejriwal
in the prestigious New Delhi constituency. Kejriwal, who had claimed
that he would defeat the three-time chief minister, was way ahead with
over 40,000 votes.
In fact, three cabinet ministers are trailing.
While the BJP was leading in 33 constituencies, the AAP was ahead in 27 seats and the Congress in 7.
It was however the phenomenal success of AAP, which came into existence
as a political party only last year, that surprised both the ruling
Congress and the BJP.
The BJP admitted on Sunday that the AAP's stunning performance in Delhi
elections was "surprising" but maintained that it would form a
government.
"We always thought of AAP as competition and we were expecting it to
get double digit seats, but this is surprising," BJP state president
Vijay Goel told the media.
"We have done all the hard work in Delhi (as an opposition) in the last
15 years but now AAP is reaping the benefits," he added.
The Congress, which has governed Delhi since 1998 with Dikshit at its
helm, was stunned. Some supporters, who were still hopeful despite
trends showing a Congress drubbing held prayers at Dikshit's residence
for a miracle. Some even brought sweets in the morning, but were shooed
away.
Congress leader Rajiv Shukla said: "AAP cut on our votes and caused
damage. A lot of votes have gone to AAP, that is why we are losing in
Delhi."
However, he quickly added: "These results have no bearing on the Lok Sabha elections."
Party sources and election officials said that Congress candidates were headed for defeat even in known party strongholds.
While there was an atmosphere of gloom at Dikshit's 3, Moti Lal Nehru
residence, it was time for celebrations at BJP chief ministerial
candidate Harsh Vardhan's residence.
Supporters burst firecrackers and distributed sweets outside Vardhan's
Krishna Nagar residence in east Delhi. The BJP leader stayed glued to
his television set while talking to party workers.
The activists of AAP, a product of the anti-corruption campaign of Anna
Hazare, also celebrated noisily outside many counting centres and its
party office in Connaught Place.
The party activists, very visible in their white side caps, waved
flags, raised slogans across the national capital celebrating the
unexpected success.
Many of them waved spiky brooms, their party symbol, in the air to express their joy and happiness.
A leading light of the AAP, Shazia Ilmi, told the media: "We always spoke about real issues. Now people are responding to it."
Anna Hazare, once a mentor of Kejriwal who fell out with him over the latter's political ambitions, also praised Kejriwal.
"Defeating Sheila Dikshit is not an easy thing. People gave their mandate," he said.
"I believe that Arvind Kejriwal will do good work in the opposition and
will provide right direction to the government," he told reporters from
Ralegan Siddhi, his home town in Maharashtra.
Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah was also keeping an eye
on the Delhi assembly elections and praised the stunning debut of AAP.
"Never underestimate the underdog/newcomer with a fresh face and message," he posted.
