New Delhi: In the final round of counting, AAP’s Atishi secured 52,154 votes, defeating BJP’s Ramesh Bidhuri, who garnered 48,633 votes. Atishi won by a margin of approximately 3,500 votes, with Congress trailing at 4,392 votes.
Atishi, who took over as Chief Minister following Arvind Kejriwal’s resignation amid corruption allegations, had won the Kalkaji seat in 2020 by a margin of 11,393 votes in her electoral debut.
Reacting to his lead, Bidhuri remarked, “If the people of Kalkaji want development, they will give a send-off to Atishi. This lead is a blessing from the people of Kalkaji.”
The contest in Kalkaji has been a high-stakes battle, with a three-way fight between Atishi, Bidhuri, and Congress candidate Alka Lamba. Both the AAP and BJP engaged in intense campaigning, marked by sharp exchanges between Atishi and Bidhuri.
Even after seeing the trends not in her favour, Atishi says, “This was not an ordinary election but a fight between good and evil. I am confident that the people of Delhi will stand with the good, AAP and Arvind Kejriwal. He will become the CM for the fourth time…”
Bidhuri sparked controversy by questioning Atishi’s decision to drop her surname “Marlena,” stating, “Marlena has become Singh… She has changed her father.” Atishi, in response, broke down during a press conference and accused Bidhuri of resorting to personal attacks to seek votes.
A defeat for Atishi would be a major setback for the AAP leader, who started as an education advisor, playing a key role in Delhi’s education reforms alongside Manish Sisodia.
On the other hand, Bidhuri, known for his strong organizational skills and connection with South Delhi’s rural communities, has a long-standing political career.
A two-time Lok Sabha MP from South Delhi, he has also served as the BJP district president (1997-2003), vice president (2003-2008), and a three-time MLA from Tughlakabad.
