Dalits, making up around 16% of Delhi’s population (based on the 2011 Census; current data is not yet available), remain a key voting bloc. In the 2025 assembly elections, AAP won 10 Dalit-majority seats and is leading in four, while BJP secured eight and is ahead in three, reflecting a tight contest for Dalit votes.While the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has enjoyed significant Dalit support over the past decade, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has made strategic inroads, leveraging caste alliances and targeted outreach.The 2025 Delhi Assembly elections revealed notable shifts in Dalit voting patterns, influencing the electoral fortunes of both parties.
AAP clinched key Dalit-majority constituencies such as Sultanpur Majra, Ballimaran, Karol Bagh, Patel Nagar, and Ambedkar Nagar, while leading in four others, including Trilokpuri and Madipur.Meanwhile, the BJP won eight Dalit-majority seats, including Bawana, Nangloi Jat, Mangolpuri, and Wazirpur, and is leading in three more, including Trilokpuri and Rajinder Nagar.Dalit vote distribution: AAP’s hold weakens, BJP gains in pocketsAAP retained dominance in Dalit-majority constituencies but faced a decline in margins, signalling a fragmentation of its voter base. BJP’s strategy of consolidating Dalit-Jat support and leveraging local caste dynamics allowed it to gain ground in specific seats.AAP’s performance in Dalit-stronghold seats:
Seemapuri (SC reserved): Retained by AAP with a 5% decline in vote share compared to 2020.
Mangolpuri (SC reserved): AAP maintained a lead but saw a 7% drop in Dalit votes, indicating a shift towards the BJP.
Ambedkar Nagar (SC reserved): AAP won but with a reduced margin, reflecting BJP’s deeper penetration into the Dalit voter base.
BJP’s gains in Dalit-Jat mixed constituencies:
Bawana: The BJP improved its vote share by 8%, benefiting from Dalit-Jat alliances.
Nangloi Jat: The BJP made inroads with a 6% swing in its favour, indicating effective outreach.
Wazirpur: A significant 9% gain for the BJP suggests a consolidation of Dalit votes outside AAP’s traditional bastions.
Closer contests indicate a split in Dalit votes:
Trilokpuri: BJP’s Ravi Kant won Trilokpuri by a thin margin of 392 votes against AAP’s Anjana Parcha, flipping the constituency that AAP had previously secured by over 6,000 votes in 2020.
Patel Nagar: BJP narrowed AAP’s lead to 4,049 votes, reflecting a closer contest.
The Dalit voter base and its evolving preferencesSince its rise to power, AAP has strategically positioned itself as the party for Dalits, securing all 12 Scheduled Caste (SC) reserved seats in 2020.However, cracks in this support base have emerged. Discontent has grown over issues such as the exploitation of Valmiki contractual labourers, delays in regularising sanitation workers, and the sluggish implementation of manual scavenging reforms. Many Dalit voters are now questioning whether AAP has delivered on its promises, PTI quoted independent political analyst and Subaltern Media Foundation founder Kush Ambedkarwadi as saying.”The two photos Kejriwal has in his office are of B.R. Ambedkar and Bhagat Singh because Dalits form a significant voter base in both Delhi and Punjab. AAP’s election symbol—the broom—also resonates with Dalit voters, creating a sense of connection. A large share of Dalit votes once went to the party, but today, the community is less satisfied with Kejriwal, as their lives have seen little change,” Ambedkarwadi told PTI.What lies ahead for Dalit political influence?With the BJP making steady gains and AAP facing growing disenchantment, Dalit voters in Delhi are at a crossroads. The 2025 general election has demonstrated that Dalit political allegiance is no longer guaranteed for any single party. Future elections will likely see intensified competition for Dalit votes, with policy-driven appeals and targeted outreach becoming crucial battlegrounds.The party that can effectively address Dalit employment concerns, social welfare demands, and representation issues will have the upper hand in securing this critical voter segment in the years to come.Key constituencies where Dalit voters influenced the outcome
ConstituencyLeading CandidateTrailing CandidateMarginBawanaRavinder Indraj Singh (BJP)Jai Bhagwan Upkar (AAP)19,232Sultanpur MajraMukesh Kumar Ahlawat (AAP)Karam Singh Karma (BJP)17,126Nangloi JatManoj Kumar Shokeen (BJP)Raghuvinder Shokeen (AAP)23,585MangolpuriRaj Kumar Chauhan (BJP)Dharam Rakshak (AAP)6,255WazirpurPoonam Sharma (BJP)Rajesh Gupta (AAP)11,220Model TownAshok Goel (BJP)Akhilesh Pati Tripathi (AAP)13,240BallimaranImran Hussain (AAP)Kamal Bagri (BJP)29,823Karol BaghVishesh Ravi (AAP)Dushyant Gautam (BJP)7,430Patel NagarPravesh Ratn (AAP)Raaj Kumar Anand (BJP)4,049MadipurKailash Gangwal (BJP)Rakhi Birla (AAP)10,899Rajinder NagarUmang Bajaj (BJP)Durgesh Pathak (AAP)1,231Ambedkar NagarDr. Ajay Dutt (AAP)Khushi Ram Chunar (BJP)4,230DeoliPrem Chauhan (AAP)Deepak Tanwar (BJP)36,680TughlakabadSahi Ram (AAP)Rohtash Kumar (BJP)14,711TrilokpuriRavi Kant (BJP)Anjana Parcha (AAP)392KondliKuldeep Kumar (AAP)Priyanka Gautam (BJP)6,293SeemapuriVeer Singh Dhingan (AAP)Ku. Rinku (BJP)10,077Rohtas NagarJitender Mahajan (BJP)Sarita Singh (AAP)27,902GokalpurSurendra Kumar (AAP)Praveen Nimesh (BJP)8,215
These constituencies have a Dalit population of around 20%, rising to 30% in some cases.The figures are provisional and will be continuously updated.
