MCD poll results: AAP MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj says 'We are going to get more than 180 seats, Mayor will be from our party'

New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) exuded confidence that it will emerge victorious by winning more than 180 of the total 250 seats in the MCD polls. AAP's chief spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj told reporters, "We are going to get more than 180 seats. If voters favour us, we can also cross 230 seats. Mayor will be from our party. I think exit polls are pointing towards the victory of Aam Aadmi Party."

Bharadwaj further said, "The trends will change and we will emerge victorious in more than 180 seats. We have decked up our office and as soon as trends change we will celebrate. The BJP did not cite any achievement of their 15-year tenure in the MCD during the campaigning."

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has maintained its lead over the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the initial trends of the counting of votes in the 250 wards of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) elections.

Also read: MCD Poll Results 2022 LIVE Updates: BJP wins five seats, AAP bags three

As per the latest trends till 9.30 am, the BJP is leading in 107 wards while AAP is leading in 95 wards. Congress is ahead in 9 wards, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in 1 and Independents in 3 wards, according to the official data from the Election Commission.

The BJP took an early lead in 78 wards over the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) which led in 42 wards in the initial trends till 9 am. Congress, which is not being seen as a major challenger in the MCD polls, was a distant third leading in 4 wards, and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) was leading in one seat till 9 am.

The high-decibel battle which was fought in the election campaign ahead of the polling on December 4, witnessed the claims and counter-claims by both parties (BJP, AAP) of winning the elections. The polls for 250 wards in the national capital were held on December 4 with about 50 percent voter turnout and a total of 1,349 candidates were in the fray. 

Delhi witnessed highly charged campaigning by AAP and BJP which made top leaders, including Union ministers, chief ministers of BJP-ruled states and MPs hit the streets for door-to-door campaigning and meetings to garner public support. The BJP, which has governed the civic body in Delhi since 2007, is looking to maintain its winning streak. 

Notably, this was the first civic election after the fresh delimitation exercise. There were 272 wards in Delhi and three corporations - NDMC, SDMC, and EDMC in Delhi from 2012-2022 that later reunified into an MCD that had formally come into existence on May 22. 

(With ANI/PTI Inputs)