From the New York Times (April 18, 2012)
By Nida Najar
BJP's Delhi Win Another Blow for Congrress
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won big in Delhi’s municipal elections
on Sunday, preserving their majority in the north and east corporations
while leading in the South to capture a total of 138 seats of the 272
seats.
The results were trumpeted by analysts and media pundits as yet another
sign that voters were deeply disillusioned with the Congress Party-led
United Progressive Alliance, which runs the country. The Times of India
reported the win with an indictment of Delhi Chief Minister Sheila
Dikshit, who is from the Congress party. The loss of East Delhi to the
BJP was an especially tough blow to the Congress Party, since several
Congress politicians are from the area, including Ms. Dikshit’s son,
Sandeep, a member of Parliament.
This election marks the first time in 50 years that a party returned to
power in Delhi’s municipal elections, the last time being the Congress
party in 1962, according to the Indian Express.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi is split into three geographic
jurisdictions, North, South and East, and the BJP won a clear majority
in the north and the east. They did not win a majority in the more
upscale South Delhi, but still led the voting.
The BJP won 26 fewer seats compared to the 2007 election, when they had
a 164-seat majority. But their win last weekend was still considered a
surprise because Delhi traditionally switches allegiances from one
political party to the other every election. The Congress party made
modest gains compared to the 2007 election, picking up 29 seats in
North and South Delhi, respectively, and 19 in East Delhi, for a total
of 77 seats, up from 67 in 2007.
Following a voter awareness campaign, turnout jumped from last year.
Rakesh Mehta, state election commissioner, said 55 percent of
registered voters participated in last weekend’s election, compared to
43 percent last year.
Mr. Mehta said that voter turnout was low in the middle class and
wealthy wards of South Delhi, but higher in the poorer wards in East
Delhi, in keeping with usual voting patterns.
Not surprisingly, BJP leaders declared the results indicative of an
anti-Congress mood in the country. Both parties are preparing for the
upcoming assembly elections in 18 months.
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