Recreating history, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is a clear victor in the MCD elections yet again, winning over 140 wards. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is at second spot and the Congress third. Now, as Delhi is all set to celebrate the BJP's victory, mixed reactions from different political leaders are pouring in with some crediting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's policies for the BJP's win, while others blaming it on the EVM for their party's debacle.

Reactions from BJP leaders

Taking the lead, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter and praised people of Delhi for the victory.

“Grateful to the people of Delhi for the faith in the BJP. I laud the hardwork of (Delhi BJP) team which made the resounding MCD win possible”.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh credited PM Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah, Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari and all-party workers for the win and said, “BJP’s remarkable victory in MCD polls is reaffirmation of people’s faith in PM’s leadership and Amit Shah’s organisational skills. Congratulations to BJP karyakartas and Delhi BJP President Shri Manoj Tiwari on registering an emphatic victory in MCD polls”.

BJP chief Amit Shah said the party's win in the Delhi civic polls was a vote in favour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's three years in power and a vote against the 'negative politics' of the AAP.

“MCD election results have pushed Modi’s victory chariot forward… The results show negative politics won’t work,” Shah said.

Union minister and BJP leader Nitin Gadkari said, "Winning and losing is a part of democracy and one must accept mandate of the people with maturity."

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy suggested President's rule in Delhi and said a fresh election should be conducted to form new government. “I think the President should dismiss the Delhi government and order fresh elections. AAP’s support has evaporated. It was done in 1977; SC also upheld it.”

Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari asked Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to resign and said, "Delhi CM Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal must resign. Delhi will be a hygienic, dirt and disease free city. The AAP has failed the people of Delhi and people are facing a lot of difficulties." He also said that the party has dedicated the victory to the slain CRPF jawans who were martyred in Sukma Maoist attack.

Reactions from Congress leaders

Former Delhi chief minister and Congress veteran Sheila Dikshit said that the party should have campaigned aggressively to challenge the BJP. "We are going through a bad time. Congress did not campaign in an aggressive way. It did not do what it should have done to win the Delhi civic polls," Dikshit said.

Taking responsibility of the party's defeat, senior Congress leader Ajay Maken offered to resign from their respective posts. "For one year I will not take up any post in the party and will work as a party worker," Maken said.

Reactions from AAP leaders

Delhi Rural Development Minister Gopal Rai blamed it on the faulty EVMs for the AAP's debacle.

"This is not a (Narendra) Modi wave, this is an EVM wave. This is the same wave that they (BJP) used in the Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Punjab polls," Rai said.

Senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia questioned the use of EVMs in the MCD elections 2017 and said, "BJP leaders had written books on EVM tampering, now same leaders are saying EVMs are fine."

AAP MLA Alka Lamba offered to quit from the post and said, "I offer to quit from all the party posts and MLA post, taking the moral responsibility for the defeat of the party in all the three wards of my constituency," Lamba tweeted.

Taking a dig at the Arvind Kejriwal government, activist Anna Hazare said, “There was a difference between what was said and what was done.”

The elections, which took place on Sunday for 270 of the total 272 wards of the three municipal corporations saw around 54 per cent voters turnout. Over 2,500 candidates contested the elections in North Delhi Municipal Corporation and South Delhi Municipal Corporation (104 seats each) and East Delhi Municipal Congress (64 seats).