TCN News Desk
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) achieved notable success in constituencies with a significant Muslim population, winning 8 out of 11 such seats, even though its top leadership was notably cautious in campaigning in these areas. The party chief, Arvind Kejriwal, did not campaign in Muslim-majority areas Jama Masjid and Okhla, nor did he address public meetings in these pockets during the election.
Despite this, AAP’s four Muslim candidates — Amanatullah Khan, Aaly Mohammad Iqbal, Imran Hussain and Chaudhri Zubair — won comfortably. In contrast, Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi’s All India Muslim Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM), which entered the race with high hopes, failed to secure any of the two seats — Okhla and Mustafabad — where it had fielded its candidates.
Muslims account for approximately 13% of Delhi’s electorate, with their votes playing an important role in shaping the outcome of 11 key assembly seats. These constituencies, where the Muslim population is substantial, include Okhla, Mustafabad, Ballimaran, Seelampur, Matia Mahal, Chandni Chowk, Seemapuri, Babarpur, Karawal Nagar, Jangpura and Sadar Bazar. This election saw a notably high voter turnout in these areas. Here is a breakdown of how the results unfolded in these Muslim-concentrated constituencies:
Okhla — AAP’s Stronghold
The constituency witnessed a fierce contest between Amanatullah Khan, AIMIM’s Shifa Ur Rehman Khan, Amanatullah Khan (AAP), Congress’ nominee Ariba Khan and Manish Chaudhary of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). AAP’s Amanatullah Khan emerged victorious with a comfortable margin of 23,639 votes, amassing 88,943 votes in total. BJP’s Manish Chaudhary secured second place with 65,304 votes, while Shifa Ur Rahman finished third with 39,558 votes.
Matia Mahal
AAP’s Aaly Mohammad Iqbal won Matia Mahal by a wide margin of 42,724 votes, receiving 58,120 votes. BJP’s Deepthi Andora placed second with 15,396 votes, while former Congress MLA Asim Mohammad Khan secured third with 10,295 votes.
Seelampur
AAP’s Zubair Ahmad clinched a resounding victory in Seelampur, securing 79,009 votes with a margin of 42,477 votes. BJP’s Anil Kumar Sharma followed in second with 36,532 votes, while Congress’ Abdul Rahman placed third with 16,551 votes.
Ballimaran
AAP’s Imran Hussain won the seat with a margin of 29,823 votes, securing 57,004 votes. BJP’s Kamal Bangdi came in second with 27,181 votes, while Congress’ Haroon Yusuf finished third with 13,059 votes.
Chandni Chowk
AAP’s Prernadeep Singh Sahni won Chandni Chowk by a margin of 16,572 votes, securing 38,993 votes. BJP’s Satish Jain placed second with 22,421 votes, and Congress’ Modit Aggarwal came in third with 9,065 votes.
Babarpur
Senior AAP leader Gopal Rai clinched a decisive win in Babarpur with a margin of 18,994 votes, totaling 76,192 votes. BJP’s Anil Kumar finished second with 57,198 votes, while Congress’ Mohammad Ishraq Khan took third place with 8,797 votes.
Sadar Bazar
AAP’s Som Dutt secured a victory in Sadar Bazar with a margin of 6,307 votes, amassing 56,177 votes. BJP’s Manoj Kumar Jindal came second with 49,870 votes, while Congress’ Anil Bhardwaj placed third with 10,057 votes.
Seemapuri
In Seemapuri, AAP’s Vir Singh Dhingan emerged victorious with a margin of 10,368 votes. BJP’s Kumari Rinku, who had led at certain points, ultimately placed second with 55,985 votes. Congress’ Rajesh took third place with 11,823 votes.
BJP Secures Three Muslim-Majority Seats
Despite AAP’s strong showing, the BJP secured victories in three Muslim-majority constituencies with thin margins: Mustafabad, Jangpura and Karawal Nagar.
The electoral performance in these Muslim-majority constituencies clearly reflects the political dynamics at play, showcasing AAP’s widespread appeal in areas with a significant Muslim voter base, despite the lack of direct engagement from Kejriwal in these regions during the campaign.