Supporters of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) carrying cut outs of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrate party's early leads as votes are being counted in the Delhi state election in New Delhi,India, February 8, 2025
INDIA’s ruling Hindu nationalist party won the most seats in the high-stakes state legislature election in India’s federal territory, including New Delhi, for the first time in over a quarter-century, according to official data released on Saturday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 47 seats in the 70-member assembly that includes India’s capital of 20 million people, ousting the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) that has ruled New Delhi since 2015.
The AAP won 22 seats. The outcome of the race in one remaining seat had yet to be declared, according to the Election Commission of India.
India’s main opposition Congress party failed to win a seat for the third consecutive election.
In a major upset, the AAP founder and leader Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy, Manish Sisodia, lost their seats.
“We accept the mandate of the people with great humility,” Mr Kejriwal said in a video statement while congratulating the BJP on its victory.
The BJP’s Amit Shah, who is India’s home minister, said that the BJP would make New Delhi “the world’s number one capital by fulfilling all promises.”
