New Delhi, Feb 5 Senior Congress leaders on Wednesday cast their votes for the Delhi Assembly elections and urged citizens to actively participate in the democratic process.
Emphasising the significance of voting, they called upon Delhiites to make their voices heard through the ballot.
As polling continues across all 70 Assembly constituencies, the leaders reiterated the importance of electing a government that prioritises development, governance, and the welfare of the people.
Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera, among the early voters, cast his vote at the Satyawati Sood Arya Girls Senior Secondary School in Nizamuddin East.
After voting, he reflected on the legacy of former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, and told IANS, "Delhi is remembering Sheila Dikshit's government, which put the city on the global map for 15 years. It was green, pollution-free, and well-governed. The past 10 years have ruined that legacy, and now people miss her tenure."
Congress leader Ajay Maken, after casting his vote, also urged people to turn out in large numbers.
"The good thing is that there is a strong polling system in place, and everyone is coming out to vote," he told IANS.
Confident about the Congress' prospects, he added, "People are missing the Congress tenure, where development took precedence over arguments and debates. They have decided to choose Congress for real progress."
State Congress President Devender Yadav, who voted in Samaypur Badli along with his family, described the elections as a "grand festival of democracy."
"Delhi wants change -- for cleaner air, a rejuvenated Yamuna, better roads, infrastructure, and schools. People are coming forward to vote for that change," he told IANS.
Haroon Yusuf, Congress candidate from Balli Maran, expressed optimism about a political shift.
"The enthusiasm of the people shows they are tired of false promises. They now see the reality and are ready for a change. On February 8, a new Congress will emerge to transform the lives of Delhiites," he said.
Congress candidate from Wazirpur, Ragini Nayak, also cast her vote and voiced frustration over governance under AAP and BJP.
"People are moving away from both AAP and BJP. They want clean streets, parks, parking solutions, better jobs, and relief from inflation," she told IANS.
Earlier in the day, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandh exercised his franchisee and urged Delhiites to vote for the city's progress.
The polling, which began early in the morning, will continue until 6 p.m. With nearly 3,000 polling booths categorised as sensitive, security has been intensified with the deployment of 220 paramilitary force companies, 35,626 Delhi Police personnel, and 19,000 Home Guards.
Drone surveillance and Quick Reaction Teams have been stationed to ensure law and order.
The elections will determine whether the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) retains its dominance, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stages a comeback or Congress re-emerges as a strong contender. The results will be declared on February 8.
In the 2020 Delhi Assembly elections, AAP secured a landslide victory with 62 out of 70 seats, BJP won eight, while the Congress failed to secure a single seat for the second consecutive time.
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