President, vice-president among early voters in Delhi elections
07 Feb 2015
Delhi, which is voting for a new state government today, had already recorded a voter turnout of 19.6 per cent till 11 am. This percentage looked certain to swell as long queues were seen outside most voting stations.
The Bharatiya Janata Party, on a winning streak since last year's general election, is locked in a close contest with Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party. Results will be announced on Tuesday.
The BJP is counting on a big voter turnout to see it home. Party president Amit Shah was taking stock of the voter turnout at the party office, said reports.
There is no ambiguity about the chief ministership, as the BJP has nominated ex-police officer Kiran Bedi (65) against the AAP's Kejriwal (46). The Congress, after having ruled the state which it ruled for three consecutive terms, is now hardly in the running.
Bedi, who was among the early voters, tweeted as she set out to vote, "The Sun God from my Window. Magnanimous for all, always. Giving me the Energy to Serve...Thank you." Bedi told reporters after casting her vote that she was going to visit all of the over 12,000 polling booths in Delhi.
President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President Hamid Ansari, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, party vice president Rahul Gandhi and union minister Harsh Vardhan were among the other prominent voters.
The AAP, which had put up a surprise performance in the December 2013 assembly polls to oust the Congress from power, seemed confident about its chances. "We expect to win more than 47 seats," said AAP leader Yogendra Yadav.
The Chief Election Commission says it expects a 71 per cent voter turnout by the end of the day.
