Delhi Assembly elections 2025: Key contenders, criminal records and swing voters set to shape polls
PTC Web Desk: The voting for the 70 seats in the Delhi Assembly will take place on February 5, in a single-phase election. Five parties, which were part of the INDIA alliance during the Lok Sabha Elections, are now competing against each other. Among them, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress are directly contesting all 70 seats.
Meanwhile, the Communist Party of India (CPI) has fielded candidates in 6 constituencies, while the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) and the Communist Party of India-Marxist Leninist (CPI-ML) have each put forward candidates in 2 constituencies.
The BJP has fielded candidates in 68 constituencies, leaving two seats for its allies. The Janata Dal-United (JDU) has contested from Burari, and the Lok Janshakti Party-Ram Vilas (LJP-R) has fielded a candidate from Devli.
The BJP's ally in Maharashtra, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), is contesting 30 seats. Shiv Sena leader and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has extended full support to the BJP across all constituencies in Delhi.
Additionally, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is contesting all 70 seats, and Asaduddin Owaisi’s All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) is fighting in 12 constituencies. Election results will be declared on February 8.
Criminal records & financial background of candidates
According to the Election Commission, a total of 699 candidates, including independents, are contesting the elections. The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has examined the affidavits of these candidates, revealing concerning findings.
About 19% of the candidates, i.e., 132 persons, have a criminal background. Among them, 81 candidates face serious charges, including murder, kidnapping, and rape. Additionally, 13 candidates have been accused of crimes against women.
In terms of wealth, five candidates possess assets exceeding Rs 100 crore, including three BJP candidates, one from Congress, and one from AAP. On average, BJP candidates have assets worth approximately Rs 22.90 crore. Three candidates, however, have declared zero assets.
Regarding age distribution, about 28% of candidates are between 25 and 40 years old, while 15% are between 61 and 80 years. Notably, only 96 women candidates are contesting, making up roughly 14% of the total.
As for educational qualifications, 46% of the candidates have completed education between the 5th and 12th grades. Eighteen candidates hold diplomas, six are literate, and 29 are illiterate.
Delhi's swings: A key factor in poll outcomes
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, despite AAP and the Congress contesting together, the BJP managed to win all seven seats in Delhi, securing 54.7% of the votes, while the INDIA bloc garnered 43.3%. The margin of victory was around 1.35 lakh votes for each seat.
Historically, Delhi has witnessed significant shifts in voting trends, with around 18% of voters being "swing voters." These voters are not aligned with any particular party and tend to make their decision based on the prevailing situation and party performance.
In the 2014 elections, the BJP swept all seven Lok Sabha seats and was ahead in 60 of the 70 Assembly constituencies. However, in the 2015 Assembly elections, the BJP was reduced to only three seats, while AAP claimed an overwhelming 67 seats. In 2019, despite retaining all seven Lok Sabha seats, the BJP only secured 65 Assembly seats, while AAP emerged victorious with 62 seats.
Historical election performance and trends
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was founded on October 2, 2012, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Just over a year later, in December 2013, Delhi went to the polls, resulting in AAP securing 28 seats with 29.49% of the vote. Party leader Arvind Kejriwal defeated the then Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit in the New Delhi constituency by a margin of around 26,000 votes.
In the 2013 Delhi elections, despite being the largest party, the BJP fell short of a majority, winning 31 seats. AAP formed the government with Congress's support but resigned after just two months. Delhi then came under President’s Rule for almost a year.
In the 2015 elections, the BJP's vote share dropped slightly by 0.88%, leading to a significant loss of 28 seats. AAP, on the other hand, secured 67 seats. In 2020, although BJP’s vote share increased by 5.44% to 38.51%, it only managed to win 8 seats, while AAP dominated with 62 seats.
Congress's decline in Delhi
The Congress, which won three consecutive Delhi Assembly elections between 1998 and 2013, has seen a sharp decline. In the 2015 elections, the Congress failed to win a single seat and was reduced to a mere 9.65% vote share. By 2020, the party's vote share had plummeted further to 4.26%, and it once again failed to secure any seats.
- With inputs from agencies