India’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has won the Delhi state assembly elections for the first time in 27 years, defeating its main critic Arvind Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). The results were announced on Saturday.
The BJP secured 48 seats out of 70, while the AAP took just 22 seats. Modi praised the people of Delhi for their “resounding and historic mandate,” saying “development wins, good governance triumphs.”
Delhi’s election victory is a significant boost to Modi after the party lost its national majority in last year’s general elections. The city faces major challenges such as housing and air pollution, which have hindered the BJP’s progress in the past.
The AAP has governed Delhi since 2015, but Kejriwal was arrested on graft charges before the election, sparking controversy. The US State Department’s comments on the matter added to tensions between India and the US.
Modi won a third term as prime minister last year, becoming the first leader since Jawaharlal Nehru to secure three terms. However, voters reduced the BJP’s majority in the national parliament, leading to a coalition government.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/08/india/delhi-india-elections-intl-hnk/index.html