Global News

Delhi’s governing Aam Aadmi Party (Common Man’s Party or AAP) has taken a big lead over Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in assembly elections, according to early trends.

The AAP is leading on more than 50 seats while the BJP is trailing with less than 20 seats in the 70-member assembly.

Exits polls released on Saturday projected the AAP led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to win more than 50 seats. In the last elections held in 2015, the incumbent party won 67 out of 70 seats.

Residents on Saturday lined up in long queues across New Delhi neighbourhoods, where nearly 61 percent of the capital’s 14.7 million voters cast their ballots.

The AAP’s pro-poor policies have focused on fixing state-run schools and providing free healthcare and bus fares for women during its first term.

The BJP was accused of running a campaign based on religious polarisation, with many of its leaders targeting the Muslim community, who form a little more than 10 percent of the capital’s population.