Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her MP son Rahul Gandhi were among the first voters as polling commenced for the seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi. The voting process for the capital's seven constituencies — Chandni Chowk, North East Delhi, East Delhi, New Delhi, North West Delhi, West Delhi, and South Delhi — began promptly at 7 am.
After casting their votes, the two Congress leaders, took a selfie outside their polling booth at Nirman Bhawan. Rahul Gandhi later shared a photo on his official social media account flaunting their inked fingers, urging the public to similarly participate in the democratic process.
In a post on X, he wrote, "Your vote will not only improve your life but will also protect democracy and the Constitution. Mother and I contributed to this great festival of democracy by casting our votes. All of you also come out of your homes in large numbers and vote for your rights and the future of your family."
Joining the Gandhis at the polling stations was Rahul's sister and Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who also cast her vote during the sixth phase of the Lok Sabha elections in Delhi. Expressing optimism, she confidently stated that the Opposition INDIA bloc was poised for victory.
Her son and daughter also cast their votes at the same polling station.
In the backdrop of the upcoming Delhi Lok Sabha Elections, the BJP, a dominant force having swept all seven seats in both the 2014 and 2019 general elections, is eyeing a repeat performance for the third consecutive time. Notable BJP candidates include Manoj Tiwari from North East Delhi, the sole sitting MP renominated by the party for the 2024 elections, as well as other prominent party members vying for seats across the capital.
In a strategic move, the opposition INDIA bloc, comprising AAP and the Congress, has adopted a four-three seat-share formula for the Delhi elections. This marks a significant development as it is the first time that the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP and the Congress have collaborated to field joint candidates in the Lok Sabha elections.
Key candidates from AAP include Kuldeep Kumar from East Delhi, Mahabal Mishra from West Delhi, Somnath Bharti from New Delhi, and Pahalwan from South Delhi. On the other hand, the Congress has put forth JP Agarwal, Kanhaiya Kumar, and Udit Raj as its contenders for the Chandni Chowk, North East Delhi, and North West Delhi constituencies, respectively.