Delhi MCD bypolls: BJP candidate wins Chandni Chowk; counting underway in 11 wards

BJP candidate Suman Kumar Gupta won the Chandni Chowk ward in the MCD bypolls, even as counting for the remaining 11 wards was underway.

The counting of votes for the MCD bypolls to 12 wards began at 8 am, amid tight security at 10 counting centres in Delhi. Gupta defeated Aam Aadmi Party candidate Harsh Sharma by a margin of 1,182 votes.

The BJP was leading in Dichaon Kalan, Greater Kailash, Shalimar Bagh B wards, while AAP was ahead in the Naraina ward in the initial trends.

Of the 12 wards where voting was held on November 30, nine were earlier held by the BJP and the remaining by AAP.

The State Election Commission, Delhi, has set up 10 counting centres at Kanjhawala, Pitampura, Bharat Nagar, Civil Lines, Rouse Avenue, Dwarka, Najafgarh, Gole Market, Pushp Vihar and Mandawali.

The strong rooms where the EVMs are stored after polling were secured with adequate security measures, including round-the-clock CCTV surveillance and the deployment of paramilitary and Delhi Police personnel. Nearly 1,800 Delhi Police personnel and 10 companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed. Around 700 personnel have been deployed for counting, and facilities have been provided for the candidates and their authorised counting agents, it added.

The vote percentage in the bypolls was 38.51 per cent as compared to 50.47 per cent in the MCD elections held for 250 wards in 2022.

All eyes are especially fixed on the results of Shalimar Bagh B and Dwarka B wards. The Shalimar Bagh B ward was vacated after sitting BJP councillor Rekha Gupta won the assembly polls in February and became Delhi's chief minister. Kamaljeet Sehrawat, BJP MP from West Delhi, earlier held the Dwarka B ward.