The BJP clinched victory in the Rajouri Garden assembly constituency in New Delhi by a margin of at least 14, 652 votes on Thursday with Congress and Aam Aadmi Party conceding defeat. This was AAP’s third defeat after Punjab and Goa. BJP candidate Manjinder Singh Sirsa won by at least 14,652 votes ahead of his Congress rival Meenakshi Chandela. Harjeet Singh from AAP had 2,668 votes by the end of the fifth round of counting. Counting began at 8 am, according to the election office. Meanwhile, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia admitted that people were upset with the party over its legislator quitting to contest from Punjab. Sisodia added that AAP will work really hard in the upcoming MCD polls by showcasing ‘good work’ done by the Delhi government to the people of Rajouri Garden.
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The Rajouri Garden bypoll was necessitated after AAP MLA Jarnail Singh quit to contest from Lambi in Punjab against the then Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. Jarnail came in third in the contest.
Around 47 per cent of the west Delhi seat’s over 1.6 lakh electors had cast their vote on April 9. The seat fell vacant early this year after AAP’s Jarnail Singh quit as MLA to contest Punjab Assembly poll against SAD patron Parkash Singh Badal. For the BJP and the Congress, success in the bye-election is crucial for their continuing relevance in the city’s politics while it will be a test for the AAP’s popularity.