NEW DELHI: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has won the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) election as it pulled ahead of the BJP, which has ruled the civic body for the past 15 years, after over five hours of vote counting.

Arvind Kejriwal's party has won in 134 wards in the 250-ward MCD. The BJP has won in 104 seats and the Congress at a distant third with just nine seats. The MCD has 250 wards, and the simple majority mark is 126.

"Asli Jhaadu ab chalega," said Punjab Chief Minister and AAP leader Bhagwant Mann as his party looked set to wrest BJP's capital citadel by a thin margin. Other prominent leaders, Manish Sisodia and Raghav Chhadha also rushed to Kejriwal's residence as the results started pouring in.

The counting of votes began at 8 am, and initial trends put the BJP ahead of the AAP by a significant margin, but the pendulum swung in the AAP's favour soon after. However, there is no clean sweep as exit polls suggested, as the BJP managed to hold onto its vote share.

This was the first election after the MCD was reunified earlier this year. In 2017, the BJP had clinched 181 of the then 270 municipal wards while AAP had won only 48 and the Congress finished third with 30.

After the latest trends, the celebrations are underway in AAP office with patriotic songs, balloons and flowers. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is expected to address people after the results. Dhol and kids dressed as Kejriwal are present outside the AAP office.

The high-stakes election to the 250 wards of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) was held on December 4, sealing the electoral fate of 1,349 candidates in voting machines.