Exit polls predict hat-trick for Congress: Zero seats, minimal impact

Congress, led by Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, put up a spirited campaign, targeting both the AAP and the BJP

As voting for the Delhi assembly elections to elect legislators to the 70-member House concluded with 57.70% turnout recorded by 5 pm, pollsters have painted a dismal picture for the Congress with a poll of polls placing the grand old party’s tally in the capital at zero.

The Congress, which ruled Delhi for 15 years till 2013, was hopeful of making a comeback after failing to win a single seat in the previous two elections.

What do exit polls predict?

ABP Matrize has predicted a close fight between AAP and BJP. The AAP is expected to win 32-37 seats, BJP — 35-40 seats and Congress — 0-1 seat. Peoples Pulse & Codemo has predicted a clean sweep by the BJP with 51-60 seats. The AAP may win 10-19 seats and Congress nil. People's Insight predicts AAP winning 25-29 seats, BJP 40-44 seats and Congress 0-2 seats. Chanakya Strategies said the BJP is likely to get 39-44 seats, AAP 25-28 seats and Congress 2-3 seats.

What is at stake for Congress?

The Congress contested the 2025 elections solo just as it did it in 2020 and 2015. It decided to fight the Delhi polls alone after AAP, which is its partner under the opposition's INDIA bloc banner, refused to forge an alliance. An alliance would have only helped the party rebuild its base in Delhi.

In 2015, Congress suffered a 15% decline in its vote share while the AAP saw its support base rise by around 15%. The BJP vote share did not change much, registering a decline of just 1%. Clearly, this was an indication of Congress supporters moving towards AAP in a big way. In 2020, the Congress vote share declined further by almost half to 4.26%. The Matrize exit poll results predicted the Congress vote share to be 8% in the 2025 polls.

Though late to enter the fray in a bid to regain lost ground, the Congress, led by Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, put up a spirited campaign, targeting both the AAP and the BJP on various issues. The party's inability to establish a credible face against Arvind Kejriwal has also been a significant challenge. This struggle is evident in its failure to replicate the success of Sheila Dikshit, who led Congress to three consecutive terms as Delhi's Chief Minister from 1998 to 2013.

If the exit polls are proved true, the party's campaign promises, such as financial assistance for women and health insurance for all residents, were not enough to sway voters who remain loyal to Arvind Kejriwal's AAP.

Largely confined to being the third wheel of Delhi politics for almost a decade now, this poll outcome will reveal if the Congress is truly on the margins of politics in the national capital or if it can revive after two successive elections of failing to open its account.