BJP wins 5 seats in Delhi Cantt board polls, Cong retains two

Controversy, allegations and clarifications ruled the results of the Delhi Cantonment Board elections on Monday, voting for which was held on Sunday. The BJP won five seats out of eight, the Congress won two while the AAP secured one seat.

Controversy, allegations and clarifications ruled the results of the Delhi Cantonment Board elections on Monday, voting for which was held on Sunday.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won five seats out of eight, the Congress won two while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) secured one seat.

Minutes after the results were declared, a video of a man throwing money in the air was released. He was alleged to be an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) member.

Amid outrage and criticism from all quarters, the party initiated an enquiry into the incident.

“It turned out that the man is a Cantonment Board employee and not related to the party at all. Our candidate who won was not present at that spot when the result was declared,” said Surinder Singh, former AAP MLA from the Delhi Cantonment assembly constituency.

The party initiated an enquiry into the incident and said it would suspend anyone who displayed such behaviour.

Held less than a month before Delhi votes for the Assembly elections on February 7, the board elections could reflect the mood of the electorate.

Though BJP won five seats, its vote share dipped slightly in comparison to the 2013 assembly election. The party, however, is happy that it managed to win most seats. In the 2008 Delhi cantonment board elections, the BJP had won 5 seats. While the party managed to retain 4 seats, it lost one to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and gained one from Congress.

The BJP’s vote share in eight seats is 36%. In the 2013 assembly elections, its vote share in the cantonment constituency was 39% — it lost to the AAP candidate by only 355 votes.

“This victory shows that BJP is the first choice of the people of Delhi,” said Delhi BJP president Satish Upadhyay.

The results, meanwhile, brought smiles back to the faces of Congress leaders as it managed to retain two seats. It had won two seats in the 2008 elections.

Senior Congress leaders said the party’s vote share has gone up by 11.36% in comparison to its vote share in the 2013 assembly elections. The eight seats of the Delhi Cantonment Board constitute a major part of Delhi Cantt assembly constituency.

“This reflects the mood of the electorate. Congress’ acceptance is increasing while the AAP’s popularity graph in on the decline,” a senior Delhi Congress leader said.