BJP on Tuesday appeared heading for a victory in the elections to all the three newly-formed municipal corporations of Delhi.
Of the 80 results declared by State Election Commission so far, BJP has bagged a total of 49 of 272 wards in all the three corporations while Congress has won 19 seats.
Eight Independents have also won, BSP 2 besides one each by JD(U) and INLD. As per the trends available, BJP is leading in 130 wards out of the total 272 wards while Congress is ahead in 80 seats.
Others, including BSP, is ahead 54 seats. In South Delhi Corporation, BJP has won or is leading in as many as 43 out of the 104 wards while Congress was ahead in 32 seats.
Interestingly, others are leading in 20 seats. East Delhi Corporation is witnessing a close fight with BJP winning or leading in 28 seats while Congress is ahead in 23 seats.
In North Delhi Corporation, which has 104 seats, BJP is ahead in 59 seats while Congress is ahead in 25 seats. Others are leading 12 wards.
Stakes are high for both the national parties in the municipal polls, considered as a semi-final ahead of the Assembly elections next year.
In the 2007 polls to the undivided Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), BJP had bagged 36.17 per cent of the around 42.35 lakh votes polled while Congress got 29.17 per cent. BSP's vote share was 9.87 per cent. BJP has 164 councillors in the undivided MCD against Congress' 67 and BSP's 17.
Congress sought to downplay the results with party spokesperson Rashid Alvi saying that MCD polls should be seen only as civic polls. BJP's M. Venkaiah Naidu said BJP's good governance in MCD and Congress' corruption resulted in the good show of his party.