New Delhi [India], February 6: After several exit polls predicted a victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Delhi assembly elections, Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal urged people to wait for the official results, cautioning that exit polls can be premature and may not always be accurate.
Maliwal expressed hope that the people of Delhi had “wisely” voted for leaders who are truly committed to improving the national capital. She criticized the current state of Delhi, stating that the city had become a “dustbin” and was in its “worst state” at the moment.
“People of Delhi are well aware, and I am fully confident that they have voted for those who can actually work for Delhi. Exit polls are premature; we should wait for the results. They can be right or wrong,” Maliwal told ANI.
She added, “I expect whoever comes to power to work for Delhi, as it is in the worst state right now. Infrastructure is damaged, sewers are overflowing, and dirty water is being supplied to homes. Delhi has become a dustbin, with garbage everywhere. The Yamuna river is not clean. I am confident that the people of Delhi have voted wisely.”
Earlier, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut also dismissed the exit polls, citing past discrepancies between pre-election surveys and actual results. “Exit polls come and go. We saw similar situations in Maharashtra and Haryana, where it seemed like we were going to form the government. Things will be clear at 10 am on February 8,” Raut said.
Raut expressed confidence that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) would come to power, while the BJP would not win.
Polling to elect the 70-member Delhi Assembly concluded on Wednesday evening with a voter turnout of 60.42 percent. Exit polls released after voting predicted that the BJP is set to form the next government in Delhi, with AAP falling behind and Congress likely continuing its poor performance in the assembly elections.
The exit poll predictions varied on the margin of the BJP’s victory, with one poll suggesting the party could win between 51 and 60 out of 70 seats, while two polls forecasted an AAP victory.