Rajouri Garden: BJP leading, AAP trailing in third position

NEW DELHI: The BJP appeared headed for a victory in the Rajouri Garden assembly constituency after the end of fifth round of counting, relegating the incumbent AAP to the third position.

With 13,542 votes in his kitty, BJP candidate Manjinder Singh Sirsa was ahead of his Congress rival Meenakshi Chandela by nearly 4,000 votes. AAP's Harjeet Singh had 2,668 votes to his name by the end of the fifth round of counting.

According to the election office, counting began at 8 AM and the process is expected to be wrapped up by 10.30 AM.

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.