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As the counting of votes kicks off in Delhi’s 70 Assembly constituencies, the political landscape in key battlegrounds such as Okhla, Mustafabad, and Kasturba Nagar is under intense scrutiny. The single-phase voting in the national capital took place on Wednesday, with voter turnout varying across constituencies. The Muslim-dominated seats of Okhla and Mustafabad recorded 54.96% and 69.01% turnout, respectively, while Kasturba Nagar saw 54.15% of voters casting their ballots.
Okhla and Mustafabad: Crucial Election Contests
In Okhla, AAP’s sitting MLA Amanatullah Khan is engaged in a high-stakes contest against BJP’s Manish Chaudhary and Congress’s Ariba Khan. Adding another dimension to the electoral fight, AIMIM’s Shifa Ur Rehman, backed by Asaduddin Owaisi, has campaigned vigorously in the Muslim-majority areas of the constituency. Notably, ahead of polling, Amanatullah Khan—who is vying for a third consecutive term—was booked for violating the Model Code of Conduct.
Meanwhile, Mustafabad, which was among the worst-hit areas during the 2020 Delhi riots, is witnessing a four-cornered contest. AAP’s Adil Ahmad Khan, BJP’s Mohan Singh Bisht, Congress’s Ali Mehdi, and AIMIM’s Tahir Hussain are all in the fray. Unlike the last elections, where AAP secured a decisive victory, the party opted not to field sitting MLA Haji Yunus this time, instead choosing Adil Ahmad Khan as its candidate.
Turncoats and High-Stakes Battle in Kasturba Nagar
Kasturba Nagar is another constituency to watch closely, with AAP’s Ramesh Pehalwan, BJP’s Neeraj Basoya, and Congress’s Abhishek Dutt competing for the seat. The electoral battle is particularly intriguing due to the political shifts that have occurred in recent months. Pehalwan, formerly with the BJP, switched allegiance to AAP in December 2024, while Basoya, previously with Congress, joined the BJP. In 2020, Madan Lal secured the Kasturba Nagar seat for AAP, but in a dramatic turn of events, he moved to the BJP in January 2025.
Early Trends In Okhla: A Tight Race Unfolds
As of 9:00 AM, early trends indicate a surprising shift in Okhla, where AAP’s Amanatullah Khan, who was initially leading, is now trailing in a neck-and-neck contest with BJP’s Manish Chaudhary.
In Mustafabad, the choice of Adil Ahmad Khan as AAP’s candidate is being closely analyzed. With the party deciding not to renominate sitting MLA Haji Yunus, today’s results will determine whether this move was strategically sound.
Meanwhile, in Kasturba Nagar, BJP’s Neeraj Basoya has taken an early lead over AAP’s Ramesh Pehalwan and Congress’s Abhishek Dutt. The constituency has seen significant party shifts, with multiple leaders, including former AAP MLA Madan Lal, changing political affiliations in the run-up to the elections.
With counting underway, all eyes are now on the final results to see how these political dynamics unfold in one of the most closely watched Assembly elections in Delhi.
