Humiliation for Congress in Delhi Elections as 67 Out of 70 Candidates Lose Deposits

The Congress party has once again faced a crushing defeat in the Delhi Assembly elections, failing to secure a single seat for the third consecutive time. Out of 70 candidates fielded, 67 lost their security deposits, reflecting the party’s continued decline in the national capital. However, a marginal increase in vote share by 2.1% has given some party leaders a glimmer of hope.

Congress Candidates Who Retained Their Deposits in Delhi Elections

Despite the overall poor performance, three Congress candidates managed to retain their security deposits. Abhishek Dutt, contesting from Kasturba Nagar, was the only Congress candidate to finish second in his constituency. Rohit Chaudhary from Nangloi Jat and Delhi Congress president Devendra Yadav from Badli were the other two who managed to save their deposits. The majority of Congress candidates finished third behind the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), while some even fell behind All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) candidates in Muslim-majority areas.

Key Leaders Finish Third

Several prominent Congress leaders struggled to make an impact. Delhi Congress chief Devendra Yadav finished third in Badli, while Women’s Congress president Alka Lamba secured third place in Kalkaji. Former minister Haroon Yusuf, who had previously represented Ballimaran five times between 1993 and 2013, also ended up in third place.

Congress Vote Share Hurts AAP in Delhi Elections

While Congress failed to convert its slight vote share increase into seats, it significantly affected AAP’s performance. The party made minor gains in Scheduled Caste and Muslim-dominated areas, cutting into AAP’s vote bank and indirectly benefiting the BJP. AAP’s vote share dropped by 10 percentage points, down to 43.19% from 53.6% in the 2020 elections.

Congress secured 6.39% of the votes in 2025, up from 4.3% in 2020. However, this remains a far cry from its past performance. When Congress last formed the Delhi government in 2008, it had a 40.31% vote share. This figure declined sharply to 24.55% in 2013, 9.7% in 2015, and 4.3% in 2020. In contrast, AAP has eroded Congress’s voter base over the years, rising from 29.6% in 2013 to 54.6% in 2015 and 53.6% in 2020.

The party’s diminishing strength also raises concerns about its role within the INDIA Bloc, where its influence has already weakened. Tensions among alliance partners could surface, particularly in the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. Congress’s poor showings in Haryana and Maharashtra, followed by this defeat in Delhi, could further strain its position within the opposition coalition. While Congress and AAP allied for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Delhi, Chandigarh, and Haryana, they chose to contest separately in the Delhi Assembly polls.

Election Commission Rules on Security Deposits

According to the Election Commission’s regulations, a candidate must secure at least one-sixth (16.67%) of the total votes cast in their constituency to retain their security deposit. As per Section 34(1)(b) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, general candidates contesting an Assembly election must deposit Rs 10,000, while candidates from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes need to deposit Rs 5,000.

Voter Turnout and Congress’s Hope for a Revival After Delhi Elections

Delhi, which has 1.55 crore eligible voters, recorded a turnout of 60.54% in the February 5 elections. Congress, which governed the capital from 1998 to 2013, is still striving for a political resurgence after being completely wiped out in the last three Assembly elections. Despite the party’s dismal performance, its leaders remain determined to rebuild support and make a comeback in the future.

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