Just as campaigning in Delhi was drawing to an end, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee cast her vote. On Twitter, Ms Banerjee posted, “My request to all of you in Delhi to please vote for AAP. For the greater need of the country and development in Delhi.”
Delhi elections on 7. My request to all of you in Delhi to please vote for AAP. For the greater need of the country and development in Delhi
Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) February 5, 2015
The contest in Delhi is being seen as a very close fight between the BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party or AAP, which is fronted by Arvind Kejriwal.
Like Mr Kejriwal, who has declared war on the infamous “VIP culture” rampant among politicians, Ms Banerjee is seen as a leader with simple habits, appearing in cotton saris and her trademark rubber chappals.
An aggregate of six opinion polls shows AAP accruing 36 of the 70 seats in the Delhi legislature, one more than the majority mark. The “poll of opinion polls” shows the BJP placed at 31. The Congress is expected to get four seats.
The BJP has dismissed the predictions of opinion polls, with top leaders professing that they are confident of the party getting a clear majority.
In the last Delhi election a year ago, the BJP won the most seats, but not enough to form the government. Mr Kejriwal formed a minority government, propped up by the Congress, but resigned 49 days later to protest the stalling of an anti-graft proposal by other parties.
At one time, Mr Kejriwal was the main lieutenant of Gandhian activist Anna Hazare; together, they led the India Against Corruption campaign in 2011 and 2012 that instigated middle class India to demand tougher laws to punish venal government officials. Mr Kejriwal lost Anna’s support in 2012 when he launched the AAP; Anna said he could not back a political party. But last year, ahead of the national election, Anna praised what he described as Ms Banerjee’s austere habits and strong leadership and vowed to address a rally with her in Delhi. However, he was a no-show at the last minute, which left Ms Banerjee and her Trinamool Congress deeply embarrassed.
