55-60% voting in Delhi Civic Elections

NEW DELHI: An estimated 55-60% of the electorate exercised their franchise in the Delhi municipal elections on Sunday.

The election was the first after the trifurcation of the civic body. While BJP made "corruption in the Delhi government" and price rise its campaign theme, Congress made BJP's five years of "misrule" in MCD its poll plank to reach out to the 1.15 crore voters.

A third-time victory would give BJP the hope that the Shiela Dikshit government was losing popularity. BJP has been retaining its grasp over Town Hall, the municipality's power centre. Congress is hopeful of weakening BJP's hold this time as the city with 272 municipal wards has been sliced into three parts.

While North and Central Delhi Municipal Corporation with 104 wards, South Delhi Municipal Corporation also has 104 municipal wards and East Delhi 64. BJP has 164 councillors in the undivided MCD against Congress' 67. BSP, which could influence some pockets, has 17 at present.

The trifurcation of MCD, an idea pushed by Dikshit, was aimed at making the management of the city easier. The chief minister has dismissed the Opposition speculation that the election will be a "referendum" on her government as it is being fought on local issues.