The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was leading in 160 wards, the Congress in 45 and the AAP in 16 wards in the Delhi civic polls, according to early counting trends, election officials said on Wednesday. “I am sure we will win. I have no doubt about it,” Tiwari told the media, as counting of votes began. He said the BJP would make Delhi a “clean city” and free it from all sorts of diseases after the party “wins” the municipal elections. Voting for 270 of the total 272 wards of the three municipal corporations saw around 54 per cent balloting on Sunday. Election was countermanded in two wards following the death of candidates. Over 2,500 candidates contested the elections to North Delhi Municipal Corporation and South Delhi Municipal Corporation (104 seats each) and East Delhi Municipal Congress (64 seats). With inputs from IANS
Delhi MCD Election 2017 Results highlights: Counting complete in all 272 wards; BJP wins 184 seats, AAP gets 46
“I am sure we will win. I have no doubt about it,” BJP leader Manoj Tiwari told the media, as counting of votes began
 "Delhi MCD Election 2017 Results highlights: Counting complete in all 272 wards; BJP wins 184 seats, AAP gets 46")
After AAP’s defeat, politics of Arvind Kejriwal need to be questioned
Who is to blame for the situation? It has to be Kejriwal himself. He is the party supremo, calling the shots in all matters, organisational and political. He has been more of a non-resident chief minister ever since assumed power, consumed by the desire to expand his party’s footprint beyond Delhi. That itself would not be a problem if he had focused attention on Delhi’s problems too. His only response to the problems has been terse, at times less than civil, social media attacks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
To read more, click here
Naqvi slams AAP as party claims rigged EVM behind BJP clean sweep
Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Wednesday said BJP’s impressive show in the MCD polls is a lesson for those crying foul over EVMs and asked it to respect people’s mandate. Naqvi, without naming any of the opposition parties, also added that the saffron party’s victory is a “clean sweep” against politics of “anarchy and arrogance”. The Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP has been at the forefront of opposition parties complaining of EVMs tampering. “Lesson & message for ‘EVM Vilaap Mandli’- Instead of blaming EVM, respect people’s mandate & do introspection.
“#DelhiMCDpolls-Clean sweep against politics of anarchy, arrogance. Results reflect people’s passion for inclusive growth, good-governance,” Naqvi tweeted.
To read more, click here
Kejriwal should end EVM blamegame, learn from Shiv Sena on being better loser
No doubt, the Delhi chief minister is a bad loser. He just can’t accept defeat gracefully. Chances are that he, who had descended on the Indian political scene like a chivalrous-knight-in-shining-armour in the wake of the Anna Hazare movement and was, as a result, rewarded with a sweeping mandate to rule over Delhi about two years ago, might now fade away for all political purposes like a Prafulla Kumar Mahanta — another product of a mass movement.
To read more, click here
Massive victory highlights BJP’s new strategy to tackle anti-incumbency
People in any election vote on the basis of party, candidate, leader or a combination of these factors. BJP president Amit Shah was fully aware of this fact, and developed a blueprint to neutralise the anti-incumbency wave against party candidates. The party denied tickets to all sitting councillors. To neutralise the displeasure with the state leadership, it replaced Satish Upadhyay with Manoj Tiwari. The party, at its peak of popularity, knows that there will be no dearth of candidates and that people would be scrambling to get a ticket for its seats. Through this strategy, it passed on the failure of its government in MCD onto incompetent councillors and leaders. New candidates bring in fresh enthusiasm with no political baggage. People then evaluate the new candidate on merit, forgetting about the failures of the previous BJP candidates.
To read more, click here
Arvind Kejriwal’s penchant for cheap populism, cronyism led to downfall
The road to Kejriwal’s redemption looks difficult. In Indian politics, once a politician falls from grace, betrays his core constituency, his revival becomes next to impossible. VP Singh, Morarji Desai and Rajiv Gandhi are poignant reminders of the fact that when voters feel let down, they stop at nothing to avenge their betrayal.
To read more, click here
AAP blames EVMs for rout; Ajay Maken quits as Congress state head
While the victorious BJP credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the win, the Aam Aadmi Party blamed malfunctioning EVMs for its defeat, saying the machines were tampered with. Congress leaders PC Chacko and Ajay Maken have both tendered their resignations as well.
To read more reactions to the MCD results, click here
EVM tampering a bitter truth of the country’s democracy: Sisodia
Aam Aadmi Party leader and Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia has called EVM tampering a “bitter truth” in India. “One can crack jokes on us initially, but fearing being made fun of, we cannot refrain from speaking the truth,” Sisodia said.
Congress’ Delhi in-charge PC Chacko offers to resign
PC Chacko offers to resign as Congress Delhi in-charge. #MCDresults pic.twitter.com/CDe75iUIA9
— ANI (@ANI) April 26, 2017
Modi thanks people of Delhi for BJP’s win
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed gratitude to the people of Delhi for reposing faith in the BJP and ensuring its resounding victory in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) polls. “Grateful to the people of Delhi for the faith in BJP. I laud the hardwork of team BJP which made the resounding MCD win possible,” he said in a tweet on Wednesday.
Arvind Kejriwal, AAP should take lessons from Prafulla Mahanta and AGP
AAP displays arrogance for it believes that no matter what wrong it commits, no matter how its supremo conducts himself and no matter how he gives a go by to governance and sets constitutional norms as Delhi chief minister, no matter how he promotes nepotism and favouritism, no matter how he spends public money on self-promotion through advertisement campaigns in all parts of the country, no matter how brazenly he defends his decision to make tax payers in Delhi pay crores of fees for Ram Jethmalani in the civil and criminal defamation case filed by Arun Jaitley, Kejriwal believes he has an infallible charisma and people would ever be obliged to vote for him and his party.
To read more, click here
BJP workers to demand for Kejriwal’s resignation as Chief Minister of Delhi
Following the Aam Aadmi Party’s massive defeat in Delhi civic body polls, BJP workers have decided to hold a protest against Arvind Kejriwal and will ask for the chief minister’s resignation. Their contention is that Kejriwal has been a supporter of ‘Right to Recall’, by which an elected official may be asked to step down if the people are not happy with his/her performance. The BJP workers have said results of the MCD elections are evidence enough of Delhi voters’ dissatisfaction with Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party government, and he should accept the people’s referendum and resign from his constitutional post.
AAP’s defeat is a chance for Kejriwal to press reboot button
Arvind Kejriwal has no reason to tender the resignation of his government in the Delhi state Assembly just because his party has been eclipsed in the civic polls. With well over two-and-a-half years to go before his tenure ends, this disaster could well be the shrill alarm on his political clock indicating it is time to wake up to reality. And to get rid of the clutter in his governance and grasp the opportunity to do a decent job in the coming months.
This option has already been articulated by him in his announcement that if the AAP is routed in the current polls (which it has been), he will go back to the grassroots and rekindle the movement that spawned the party in the first place.
Dramatic as it sounds, the sackcloth and ashes routine is fine only if it is backed by some honest retrospection and hard work. Kejriwal should cling to the fact that there are still some remnants of support for his party, and by finishing ahead of the Congress, he and his team have a foundation upon which they can rebuild the AAP’s shattered credibility.
Read the full report here
India needs the Aam Aadmi Party, but without Arvind Kejriwal
The election results for MCD election have made one thing clear. The Aam Aadmi Party under the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal has lost its sheen.
AAP needs to learn only one lesson. It is time for the party to disassociate itself from Kejriwal.
There is an empty space on the national political scene that needs to be filled with a credible political alternative. AAP can become that alternative if it sticks to its original goals.
Read the full report here
‘Arvind Kejriwal is a threat to Delhi’
BJP state president Manoj Tiwari, speaking at an event following his party’s decisive victory in the MCD polls, said that, “Kejriwal is a threat to Delhi and its citizens. His inaction has led to the spread of dengue, stopped water supply. People have rejected his negativity.”
When asked if Kejriwal will be able to continue with his government Tiwary said, “A very short period is left for Kejriwal to complete his term. His time is all but up.”
AAP’s attitude smacks of arrogance, foolishness
The reaction to the defeat reveals once again that the party has moved into an insular space of its own, cut off from reality and interpreting the world around in a way comfortable to it. Call it arrogance or utter foolishness, something is seriously wrong with the attitude of the party in general and its top brass in particular.
The AAP refuses to find anything wrong with itself after repeated electoral setbacks, inside Delhi and out of it. Its disconnect with people is visible to everyone but its leaders. They fail to realise that sops are not what people voted them for in 2015. Cutting electricity bills by half and making water free is fine, but voters expected much more from AAP when they gave it an overwhelming mandate to rule Delhi.
Negative politics cost Aam Aadmi Party: Manoj Tiwari
Delhi unit chief Manoj Tiwari said “negative politics” cost the Aam Aadmi Party. “For the last 15 years, we have only seen negative politics being played out in Delhi, that attained a new low in the last two and a half years,” the Bhojpuri singer-actor-turned-politician said.
“Delhi turned out to be a wrestling ring (between politicians) in which only people suffered. Thus, we want to nourish positive politics in the happening city,” he said.
He said the Opposition was doing politics in criticising the BJP-governed Delhi civic bodies. But people, he said, have realised now that “in the last 10 years, the previous governments (of the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party) had followed the policy of discrimination”. “When they question the civic bodies, they should look at their own performances,” he added.
— IANS
Ward-wise list of winners from South, East and North Delhi
The full list of the ward-wise winners in the MCD elections across the parties – BJP, AAP and Congress – has been declared.
Read the full list here
Delhi rejected negative politics: Manoj Tiwari
The voters are all-powerful. Cannot ignore what they say. And Delhi voters have rejected parties who indulge in negative politics, says Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari.
Sheila Dikshit has a message for Delhi
Prez should order fresh Assembly elections in Delhi: Subramaniam Swamy
Think President should dismiss Delhi Govt & order fresh elections.AAP support has evaporated. It was done in 1977,SC also upheld it:S Swamy pic.twitter.com/smj4KEtbtS
— ANI (@ANI) April 26, 2017
AAP’s classic loser’s argument: We are not responsible for our defeat
Blame everyone else but yourself – that is a trait losers are known by. They fail to acknowledge, even see, their own shortcomings that led to defeat. The response of the Aam Aadmi Party after their miserable performance in the Delhi civic body polls is a perfect example of the losers’ attitude.
Ever since the trends predicted an overwhelming victory for the BJP, its leaders have been breathless, blaming the defeat on electronic voting machines (EVM) tampering. There have not been many words from them mentioning they went wrong somewhere. One saving grace, perhaps, is that they have not blamed the Delhi voters for being foolish.
Full Text: Mayank Gandhi’s message to Arvind Kejriwal
Dear Arvind,
A defeat deals a body blow to arrogance and makes the mind ready to reflect. So, the timing is appropriate.
I am addressing you as your former friend and colleague who believes that AAP can still be salvaged and become the party for alternative politics. I am reaching out to you because my agony is not just mine; but of lakhs of volunteers, donors and supporters.
We have known each other since 2003, when I was part of Annaji’s fast-to-death in Mumbai for the RTI etc. You have been my hero first, friend next and politician later.
Let me address the hero first…
You can read the full letter hereAAP kahan gaye?
There is an unusual silence at Aam Aadmi Party’s head office at Rouse Avenue in New Delhi. Unlike other days, where media vans and party workers are a plenty, there is hardly anyone visible today. Perhaps the leaders are busy deliberating their next move following the loss in the MCD election.
BJP to refrain from celebrations as mark of respect to slain CRPF jawans
Heading towards a clean sweep in all three civic bodies part of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), the BJP dedicated its impending win to the slain CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district, and decided to refrain from any celebrations. Delh BJP chief Manoj Tiwari said that the every heart is filled with grief over the killing of 25 CRPF men in Sukma and the party will not celebrate the victory. “But for the Sukma incident, we would be on the streets celebrating this massive victory. We dedicate this win in the feet of Sukma martyrs,” he said.
To read more, click here
Ex-AAP leader Mayank Gandhi’s scathing message to Arvind Kejriwal
Aam Aadmi Party’s defeat is a chance for Arvind Kejriwal to press reboot button
Arvind Kejriwal has no reason to tender the resignation of his government in the Delhi state Assembly just because his party has been eclipsed in the civic polls. With well over two-and-a-half years to go before his tenure ends, this disaster could well be the shrill alarm on his political clock indicating it is time to wake up to reality. And to get rid of the clutter in his governance and grasp the opportunity to do a decent job in the coming months.
To read more, click here
BJP dedicate MCD win to slain CRPF jawans
Heading towards a clean sweep in all the three civic bodies, the BJP dedicated its win to the slain CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district and decided to refrain from any celebrations.
Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari said that the every heart is filled with grief over the killing of 25 CRPF men in Sukma and the party will not celebrate the victory.
“But for the Sukma incident, we would be on the streets celebrating this massive victory. We dedicate this win in the feet of Sukma martyrs,” he said.
– PTI
How the BJP returned to power in the MCD
A consolidated trajectory of seats and leads across all three civic bodies
BJP win proves party is reaching stature enjoyed by Congress in 1950s
Following the party’s big win in the MCD election, there are clear indications to suggest that BJP is entering a phase similar to the Congress from 1950 to 1990, where it dominated national politics. Moreover, it would also be more evidence that Narendra Modi’s magic has gripped the nation.
BJP has claimed the results are a referendum on Kejriwal’s arrogance and poor governance; AAP has indicated the party has lost because of EVM tampering, without realising that any drama over EVM tampering will not go down well with the public.
Read the full report here
Election Commission ko EVM pe jaanch karni chahiye. While if we can't trust EVM, we must trust EC: Ajay Maken pic.twitter.com/TLc29VJDWZ
— ANI (@ANI) April 26, 2017
India needs the Aam Aadmi Party, but without Arvind Kejriwal
The election results for Municipal Corporation of Delhi have made one thing clear. The Aam Aadmi Party under the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal has lost its sheen. So what lessons does the Aam Aadmi Party need to learn from the stinging defeat in MCD elections?
AAP needs to learn only one lesson. It is time for the party to disassociate itself from Kejriwal.
Read the full article hereCongress secure one-sided win in Zakir Nagar
Zakir Nagar ward results saw a massive one-sided victory for Congress, prompting celebrations outside the counting centre in the area. Though the BJP secured the victory, the improved showing for Congress in Delhi has, after the drubbing in the Assembly elections, improved the morale of its cadre.
BJP’s win down to an ‘EVM wave’, not ‘Modi wave’: Aam Aadmi Party
Initial trends indicated BJP’s sweep in all the three civic body polls. “This is not a Modi wave, but an EVM wave,” Delhi Labour Minister and senior AAP leader Gopal Rai said.
To read full article, click here
Congress party workers celebrate outside the Mustafabad ward at Yamuna Vihar.
‘BJP win proves Indians have matured as voters’
Bharatiya Janta Party’s latest electoral victory has proven that the Indian voter has evolved and matured. It also shows that the younger generations trust that their future lies with Narendra Modi and his party," Said Jitendra Singh, MoS for the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region.
Congress has increased voteshare: Ajay Maken
We have increased our voteshare manifold from the previous MCD election. When all votes are counted, you will find that Congress will be the biggest winner from these polls as far as voteshare is concerned.
Take responsibility for defeat and I am going to resign as Delhi Congress President: Ajay Maken #MCDelections2017 pic.twitter.com/mNzEiCq5CU
— ANI (@ANI) April 26, 2017
Ajay Maken tenders resignation
Congress’ Delhi president Ajay Maken says he takes responsibility for the party’s defeat in MCD polls, and announces his resignation. He said he remains “wedded to the party’s ideologies”.
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