Shortly after the voting concluded for the Delhi Assembly Elections, the Exit Poll surveys predicted a clear majority for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after 26 years of remaining out of power.
Meanwhile, Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is predicted to trail behind the BJP after a two full term in power.
An assessment of 12 Exit Polls showed the BJP leading in 10 exit polls. While only two poll predictions- -Wee Preside and Mind Brink- showed AAP at an advantage. The Congress has been best predicted to win 1–2 seats by the pollsters.
Pollsters, including Matrize, People Pulse and Chanakya Strategy, showed at least 40 seats for the BJP in Delhi. On the other hand, most pollsters estimated around 25-30 seats for AAP.
Meanwhile, the surveys also showed a blank for other parties, raising concerns for Asaduddin Owaisi's All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), which is fighting a high-stake contest in Okhla and Mustafabad.
AIMIM candidate from Okhla constituency Shifa Ur Rehman Khan, an accused in the 2020 Delhi riots case, was locked in a triangular contest with AAP sitting MLA Amanatullah Khan and Congress candidate Ariba Khan.
Shifa Ur Rehman, who got an interim bail for campaigning, held several roadshows in Okhla along with other AIMIM leaders, including Owaisi and Imtiyaz Jaleel.
On the other hand, Tahir Hussain, another accused from the Mustafabad seat, was locked in a fight against BJP's Mohan Singh Bisht, a five-time MLA from Karawal Nagar. Meanwhile, AAP has nominated Adil Ahmad Khan, a journalist-turned-politician who has been with the party since the Anna Hazare movement.
The Mustafabad constituency, which witnessed communal riots in 2020, saw the highest turnout among the 70 assembly seats in Delhi, registering a turnout of 57 per cent till 5 pm on Wednesday.
Though AIMIM fielded their candidates in the two Muslim-majority seats, the post-poll surveys show Owaisi's party failing to make its debut in Delhi.
However, only two pollsters Poll Diary and Times Now JVC, have predicted 0-1 seat for other parties. Apart from AIMIM, several others parties, including Mayawati's BSP, Ajit Pawar's NCP and Azad Samaj Party are also contesting elections in the capital.