The high-voltage campaigning for the Delhi Assembly polls will come to an end at 5 PM on Monday, ushering in the mandatory silence period before voting on February 5.
On the final day of campaigning, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has scheduled 22 roadshows and rallies across Delhi, intensifying its bid to reclaim power in the capital after more than 25 years.
On the other hand, the poll-bound AAP government is confident that it can secure a third consecutive term based on its governance model of free welfare schemes.
The Congress, which ruled Delhi for 15 years until 2013, is struggling to regain lost ground after drawing a blank in the last two elections.
The electoral battle has been marked by an unprecedented use of AI-generated spoofs, sharp political jibes, and high-decibel roadshows.
The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) of the Election Commission of India requires all public meetings, election-related functions, and campaigning to halt 48 hours before the close of polling.
Any campaign material released through cinema, TV, and print media is also barred during this period, according to the poll body.
The elections have turned into a battle of words, with parties using catchy slogans and sharp attacks.
AAP labeled the BJP as "Bharatiya Jhootha Party" (Indian Liar Party) and "Gali Galouch Party" (Abusive Party). However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi countered by calling AAP "AAP-Daa" (disaster) and referring to party chief Arvind Kejriwal as "Ghoshna Mantri" (Minister of Announcements).
The Congress, desperate to re-enter Delhi's political scene, called Kejriwal "Farziwal" (Fake) and a "Chhota Recharge" (Small Recharge) of Modi.
This time, the battle for Delhi has reached new heights, with political discourse dominated by AI-generated memes and digital campaigns.
According to data from the Delhi Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), 15.6 million voters will cast their ballots at 13,766 polling stations on February 5.
Among them, 8.376 million are men, 7.236 million are women, and 1,267 are third-gender voters. To facilitate a smooth voting process, 733 polling stations have been designated for persons with disabilities.
The Election Commission has also introduced a Queue Management System (QMS) application for the first time in India, allowing voters to check real-time crowd levels at polling stations through the Delhi Election - 2025 QMS app.
Under the home voting facility for senior citizens and persons with disabilities, 6,980 out of 7,553 eligible voters have cast their votes so far. This facility began on January 24 and will continue until February 4.
To ensure free and fair elections, 220 companies of paramilitary forces, 19,000 home guards, and 35,626 personnel from the Delhi Police will be deployed.
Additionally, 21,584 ballot units, 20,692 control units, and 18,943 VVPATs have been prepared with all necessary facilities, including dummy and Braille ballot papers.
In 2015, AAP swept 67 of the 70 seats, leaving just three for the BJP and none for the Congress.
In 2020, AAP maintained its dominance by winning 62 seats, while the BJP secured eight, and the Congress once again failed to open its account.
Delhi is set for one of its most intense electoral battles yet, with a resurgent BJP confident of breaking AAP's winning streak and the Congress hoping for a revival.
The final verdict will reveal whether the rhetoric and slogans resonated with voters or if the capital's political landscape remains unchanged.
Will AAP retain Delhi, will the BJP make a comeback, or will Congress spring a surprise? The picture will become clear on February 8 when the results are declared.
Read also| Preparations for PM Modi's US Visit Accelerate After Paris AI Summit
Read also| Govt to Simplify TDS Process to Ease Compliance, Says Sitharaman