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

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.