Counting underway for Delhi polls

New Delhi: As counting of votes for the assembly polls began in Delhi on Saturday, candidates cutting across party lines visited shrines in the national capital to offer prayers and seek blessings. Counting of votes for Delhi's 70 assembly constituencies began amid tight security at 19 locations across the national capital.

The BJP's New Delhi candidate Parvesh Verma visited a Hanuman temple to seek blessings.

"'Aaj sarkar banegi (Our government will be formed today)' ... Exit polls are indicating the same. I prayed to Hanuman ji for a good government in Delhi so that we can work in alignment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision," he told reporters.


Delhi Chief Minister and AAP's Kalkaji candidate Atishi described the elections as "a battle between good and evil, work and hooliganism".

She expressed confidence that the people of Delhi would stand with AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal's governance model.

Badli candidate and the Congress' city unit chief Devender Yadav also exuded confidence despite unfavourable exit polls. "We worked hard and I believe the people of Delhi will give the Congress a chance."

Alka Lamba, the Congress' Kalkaji candidate, visited a Kali temple and sought blessings.

"I had 'darshan' of Goddess Kali. My only aim is to serve the people. The party worked very hard and we contested the elections for the people and their issues. Whatever decision the people of Delhi take, we will accept it," she said.

The BJP's RK Puram candidate Anil Sharma visited Kalkaji Mandir prior to the start of the counting exercise.

Expressing confidence over his party's victory, he said, "I am 100 per cent certain that the 'lotus (the BJP's election symbol)' will bloom in Delhi, especially in RK Puram. I sought blessings for the same."

Former chief minister Sheila Dikshit's daughter Latika Dikshit, whose brother Sandeep Dikshit contested the elections from the New Delhi seat on a Congress ticket, expressed hope for the party's victory.

Praising her brother, she said, "He ran a clean campaign, going door-to-door and engaging with the people. That is how elections should be contested."

The Congress' Patparganj candidate Anil Chaudhary also expressed optimism.

"The election in Patparganj was based on love. People discussed development and I am proud that they remembered the work I did as the MLA between 2008 and 2013," he said.

The BJP's Patel Nagar candidate Raaj Kumar Anand visited the Jhandewalan Hanuman temple to offer prayers before counting began.