Nearly 46 per cent turnout in MCD bypolls billed as litmus test

Nearly 46 per cent voters exercised their franchise in the high-stake Municipal Corporation of Delhi bypolls for 13 wards on Sunday, being billed as a litmus test for popularity of the Aam Aadmi Party government even as the Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress put a stiff fight in Delhi.

Braving scorching sun, voters queued up since early morning in the wards falling under three corporations – South Delhi Municipal Corporation (7), North Delhi Municipal Corporation (4) and East Delhi Municipal Corporation (2).

“Around 45.9 per cent of the 6,68,870 voters exercised their franchise in the bypolls which were held peacefully,” an election official said.

BJP, which is ruling the civic bodies, and Congress both exuded confidence of an impressive performance, while AAP hoped to replicate its assembly polls magic in its maiden outing at the civic hustings.

Delhi BJP president Satish Upadhyay claimed that “based on grassroots feedback, BJP is likely to be the top performer in today’s civic by-polls”.

Delhi Congress president Ajay Maken said “the enthusiastic manner in which the people of Delhi came out to vote clearly showed that they were unhappy with the AAP government and the BJP-ruled MCD”.

He said the results of these bypolls would provide a “big surprise” as the Congress party would be making “huge gains” in it.

Convener of Delhi AAP Dilip Pandey said that the party was “very optimistic and hopeful” that the “hard work” of its volunteers will yield “good results”.

He, however, did not agree with suggestions that the results of the bypolls will be a test of popularity of the AAP government, saying it was a "local" affair.

BJP alleged that some state election staff “favoured” the ruling AAP leaders.

Police said no untoward incident was reported, except a commotion reported outside a polling station in Ballimaran, which was controlled.

“One electronic voting machine in Ballimaran ward did not function in the beginning of polling, but by 8:30 am it was replaced,” Delhi State Election Commissioner Rakesh Mehta said.

 “People continued to queue up at Bhati ward even till 6 pm as the authorities allowed people to vote who had entered the polling stations till 5 pm," a Delhi State Election Commission official said.

Counting of votes will be held on May 17. 

Image: Members of a family show their inked fingers after casting votes at a polling booth in Ballimaran ward during the MCD by-elections in New Delhi. Photograph: Manvender Vashist/PTI