President, Union ministers, senior AAP leaders among early voters | Latest News Delhi

Several dignitaries and high-profile voters turned up early to cast their ballot as Delhi went to polls on Wednesday amid tight security and high hopes that first-time voters could prove gamechangers in the national capital.

In the early hours of the day, President Draupadi Murmu cast her vote at a polling station inside the Rashtrapati Bhavan complex. Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar called the election process “the oxygen of democracy”, while Indian Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi and Navy chief Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi too cast their votes.

“I am confident that the people of Delhi will vote in large numbers and choose their government. It is also important because it decides what you want in your city. There are many things in Delhi that are on people’s radar. Pollution is a big issue, garbage mountains are a big issue, cleaning of Yamuna is a big issue. I am sure people are voting to keep all these issues in mind,” Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena said after voting along with wife Sunita Saxena at the Raj Niwas Lane polling centre.

Former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and his wife Kalpana Das cast their votes at a polling booth in Lions Vidya Mandir Secondary School near the Teen Murti area.

“Elections are crucial in a democracy. Whether it’s Delhi, national or state elections, every poll is crucial. By exercising our franchise, we demonstrate to the world at large and to our own society that we are responsible participants in the process of democracy as citizens,” Chandrachud said.

Union ministers Hardeep Puri and S Jaishankar, Delhi BJP MPs Bansuri Swara, Manoj Tiwari and Harsh Malhotra and Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva were some of the other early voters.

“Voting is our duty and chance to restore Delhi, which has been devastated by ‘AAP-da’ in the last so many years. I am confident that people will turn up and the voter turnout will be good,” said Puri, who cast his vote along with his wife Lakshmi Puri at Mount Carmel School in Anand Niketan.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, his wife Sunita Kejriwal and his parents Gobind Ram Kejriwal and Gita Devi cast their votes at Lady Irwin Senior Secondary School.

“My parents were very excited to cast their votes, and they have put in all their efforts to do that. I appeal to the people of Delhi to come out and cast their votes for the development of Delhi. The one who will work for Delhi will get the votes of the public,” Kejriwal said.

Meanwhile, Sunita Kejriwal said the people of Delhi are intelligent and will not support “hooliganism”.

Chief minister Atishi and former deputy CM Manish Sisodia too turned up at their respective booth in the morning to exercise their rights.

“This election is a religious war (dharmayuddha). This is a battle between good and evil. The people of Delhi vote for work and not hooliganism,” said Atishi.

Rahul Gandhi cast his ballot in the New Delhi constituency at the Nirman Bhawan polling centre.

“I appeal to all of you to go and vote today. Your every vote for Congress will protect your rights, strengthen the Constitution and put Delhi back on the path of progress. While voting, remember who is responsible for polluted air, dirty water, and broken roads. Who committed the biggest scam in Delhi by talking about practicing clean politics?” he said in a social media post.

His sister and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra voted at the same polling centre along with their mother Sonia Gandhi.

“Today is the day to use the power given to you by the Constitution and decide your future for the next five years. Your one vote will make you and your Delhi stronger,” Priyanka Gandhi said on X.

“We need to keep Delhi safe from the double-engine disaster and we have voted keeping that in mind,” Communist Party of India (Marxist) leaders Brinda Karat and Prakash Karat said after voting.