(MENAFN- Gulf Times) India's capital will hold state elections next month after almost a year without a government.
The main players € the Bharatiya Janata Party, Aam Aadmi Party and the Congress expressed confidence of winning.
Some 13mn people are eligible to vote in elections for the Delhi state assembly on February 7, with results known a few days later, Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath said.
"In order to restore the mandate of the people, the commission has decided that election results will be known on February 10," Sampath told a press conference.
The city of some 17mn people has been under president's rule since February when firebrand anti-corruption campaigner and self-styled "anarchist" Arvind Kejriwal quit as chief minister just 49 days after taking power.
Kejriwal won plaudits for his anti-corruption stance and for shunning the
VIP culture of Indian politics. But his brief tenure was marred by a street sit-in and disputes with the national government.
Although Kejriwal's AAP flopped at national elections in May, he is again expected to be the biggest obstacle facing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP.
The BJP is attempting to tighten its grip on power by wresting control of state governments from regional parties as well as from the main opposition Congress.
The last date for filing nomination of candidates will be on January 21. Delhi has a 70-member legislature.
Welcoming the announcement of the election dates, the BJP, the AAP and Congress expressed confidence over their performance.
"The BJP welcomes the commission's decision and this development is a tight slap on the faces of those who were accusing us of delaying the polls in Delhi. We are confident that we will win the assembly elections and provide a strong, stable and efficient government to the people of Delhi," BJP leader Praveen Shankar Kapoor said.
Senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia said: "We are confident that we will win. It's a contest between AAP and the BJP as the Congress is out of picture."
However, former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit claimed the Congress was getting a "good response" in public meetings.
Party spokesman Sanjay Jha said: "Congress will go to the Delhi election with full confidence. The party expects do well this time round."
Another party leader said the Congress was the only relevant party in the assembly elections.
"The results will show that the Congress is the only relevant party and the
myths are about to be shattered," said Randeep Singh Surjewala said.
"We welcome the end to speculations and the announcement of firm election date by the Election Commission of India," he added.
Surjewala said the entire Congress leadership and its workers were "enthused" and looked forward to going to polls once again.
He said the party would like to "re-establish its grassroots reach, connect and hold with people of Delhi through the magnificence of the electoral process into forming a Congress government in Delhi."
Modi vowed at the weekend to provide round-the-clock electricity for Delhi as he kicked off the BJP's election campaign.
Delhi has an unenviable reputation both for blackouts and as one of the world's most polluted capitals, with diesel fumes adding to the cocktail of smog that regularly blankets the city.
Rising prices are also expected to top the campaign agenda, while Kejriwal's party will be pushing its plans to stamp out graft endemic in India.
Kejriwal, a former tax inspector, won legions of fans for his anti-corruption stance and "common man" approach which saw him ride the metro to meetings.
But his decision to quit over the blocking of an anti-corruption bill - and later to mount a failed bid against Modi in the general election - sparked criticism that he was running away from the hard work of government.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.