Cong, AAP score, BJP draws blank Abhinav Rajput and Vibha Sharma htreporters@hindustantimes.com n

NEWDELHI: The Aam Aadmi Party won Maujpur while Congress bagged Sarai Pipal Thala ward in the municipal bypolls, results of which were declared on Tuesday morning.

Now, of the total 272 wards across the municipal corporations, BJP holds 184 seats, AAP 47 and Congress 31. Smaller parties and independents have 10 seats.

In Maujpur, AAP candidate Reshma Nadeem defeated Congress’ Rekha Sharma by a margin of 699 votes. The ward was a stronghold of BJP. Sanjay Jain, former leader of the house in EDMC, had represented it for two consecutive terms.

In Sarai Pipal Thala, Congress candidate and former leader of opposition in North MCD, Mukesh Kumar Goel, won with 10, 946 votes. Goel has earlier represented Dhirpur ward for two terms.

The bypoll was necessitated due to death of candidates in the two wards.

Despite BJP sweeping the municipal elections in the April 26 polls , the saffron party failed to make a headway with the Muslim voters. In Maujpur, which has more than 45% Muslim population, BJP candidate Suman Sharma came a distant third with 5,763 votes. In Sarai Pipal Thala ward which has over 20% Muslim populace, Goel defeated BJP’s Mangat Ram Sharma by 2,743 votes.

The Congress described its victory in Sarai Pipal Thala as a “great achievement”.

“What is more pleasing is that in both the wards together, the Congress candidates bagged 19, 621 votes which is 39 % of the total votes polled. The BJP got only 13, 966 votes (27 %) while the AAP had slipped to mere 24% as it secured total 12, 277,” said Congress Delhi in charge PC Chacko.

Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari said the party is analysing the results.