Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling Hindu nationalist party won the most seats in state legislative elections in India's federal territories, including the capital Delhi, the Associated Press reported, quoted by BTA.
It was the first such victory for the "Bharatiya Janata" party in a quarter of a century. It won 47 seats in the 70-member assembly that includes India's capital of 20 million, displacing the "Aam Aadmi" party, which had ruled the capital since 2015.
"Aam Aadmi" won 22 seats. The result of the contest for one of the remaining seats has not yet been declared, according to the Election Commission of India.
The main opposition party, the Indian National Congress, lost all its seats for the third consecutive time. Aam Aadmi Party founder and leader Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia also lost their seats, even though their party had garnered widespread support with its welfare policies and anti-corruption drive.
"We accept the people's vote with great humility," Kejriwal said in a video address, congratulating the "Bharatiya Janata Party" on its victory. He expressed hope that the party would now fulfill its election promises and promised that his party would be a constructive opposition and serve the people.