Delhi Polls announced

The gong has been sounded for a thre e-way contest in Delhi between BJP , Aam Admi Party and Congress with the Election Commission announcing February 7 as the date for the assembly polls.Results of the polls--the second in the last 13 months--will be out on February 13 and could end the uncertainty over which party would assume office after the 2013 election threw up a hung House.
After AAP's eventful 49 day stint in office, there has been no government in the capital with sporadic efforts to cobble a majority failing to bear fruit. Though it was just four seats short of a majority, BJP found the assembly's math difficult to work out with AAP having 28 seats and Congress 8 along with an AAP rebel, one JD(U) MLA and one independent. Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath said the Delhi poll process will be completed by February 12, three days before President's rule in the state is due to expire. President's rule will have to be extended in case a new government is not formed by February 15.
PM Naren dra Modi's rally in Delhi on Saturday during which he launched a hard hitting attack on AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal who, in turn, responded with a pointed rebuttal and results of the cantonment board election on Monday have spiced up the poll broth. Though a contest on a modest scale, BJP's good showing in the 8-member cantonment board, fall in AAP's votes and Congress's success in gaining the second slot were quickly read as mood indicators by BJP and Congress ahead of the February 7 contest. The 70-member Delhi assembly is a high profile contest as BJP is keen to maintain its winning spree in recent state elections and check AAP with which it shares a bitter rivalry .The relatively better than expected performance of Congress may , however, dilute expectations of a near direct face-off between AAP and BJP with Kejriwal's party seen as the main challenger to the saffron outfit.
BJP is hoping to capitalize on the perceived disappointment of voters over Kejriwal's decisio n to step down as CM and has sought to tag him as a "quitter". Having won all 7 parliamentary seats in Delhi in the Lok Sabha polls, BJP chief Amit Shah has been working to overcome divisions in the Delhi unit and maintain the party's winning streak. AAP , on the other hand, has been aggressively working to woo back its "dejected" supporters in Delhi, which now boasts of a 1.3 crore-strong electorate.
It was with the blessings of these supporters that AAP had marked its sensational electoral debut in 2013. Congress, on the other hand, has been struggling to find its feet. There is an expectation that AICC general secretary and former Delhi assembly Speaker Ajay Maken could be Congress's face for Delhi elections, heading the party's campaign committee and also contesting the state polls.