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Six hours into the counting of votes, the BJP was ahead in 47 out of 70 seats and AAP was leading in 23. The Congress appeared set for another blank show.
AAP's massive fall took down its top leadership; convenor Arvind Kejriwal and former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia have lost from the New Delhi and Jangpura constituencies. Chief Minister Atishi, however, won from Kalkaji, defeating the BJP's Ramesh Bidhuri.
Arvind Kejriwal lost to BJP rival Parvesh Sahib Singh, widely seen as a chief ministerial probable. In his first response after the results, Mr Kejriwal said AAP accepts the people's verdict. "The people's decision is paramount. I congratulate the BJP on its victory and I hope that it lives up to the hopes and expectations of the people who have given them a majority."
Chief Minister Atishi managed to win from south Delhi's Kalkaji. Responding to AAP's rout, she said, "I thank the people of Kalkaji and party workers who braved BJP's hooliganism. We will continue our struggle for the people of Delhi and the country. This is a setback for AAP but we accept the people's mandate. We will continue our fight against BJP's dictatorship and hooliganism," she said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has welcomed the BJP's victory. "My salute and congratulations to all my brothers and sisters for giving a historic victory to BJP... I am very grateful to all of you from the bottom of my heart..." Mr Modi said in Hindi, "We guarantee we will leave no stone unturned to ensure Delhi's all-round development and to make the lives of its people better... will also ensure Delhi plays an important role in building a developed India."
Exit polls, wide off the mark in recent elections, proved accurate for Delhi. Most of them had given the BJP an edge over AAP, which has been in power in Delhi since 2015.
AAP established its dominance in Delhi's political map soon after its launch when it defeated both the BJP and Congress in the 2015 polls, winning 67 of the capital's 70 assembly seats.
The party again formed its government in 2020, winning 62 seats and decimating the Opposition BJP and Congress.
For AAP, one of its biggest challenges was the Delhi liquor policy case. Arvind Kejriwal, who gave up chief ministership, and his deputy Manish Sisodia, spent months in jail over the case.
The BJP also cornered AAP over the "Sheesh Mahal", which came to describe the Arvind Kejriwal government's huge spending on a luxurious chief minister's bungalow complete with a jacuzzi, swimming pool and gold-plated toilets.