The Congress is facing tough times. In Delhi, a state it has been ruling for three terms, the civic bodies are set to be retained by the BJP. On Tuesday, early results placed the BJP in lead in all three divisions of the municipal corporation of Delhi.

If the Delhi results are seen along with the civic poll results from Maharashtra last month and the assembly election results earlier this year, the Congress is at a new low in unpopularity.

Results at noon: In North Delhi, out of 104 seats, the BJP won 62 seats with the Congress managing only 28 seats. In South Delhi, out of 104 seats, the BJP won 50 with 29 going to the Congress and in the east, BJP managed 27 seats to 23 seats won by the Congress.

PTI reports:

People voted against 'misrule' of Congress: Gadkari

BJP heading for victory in civic polls

New Delhi: BJP today appeared heading to capture the three newly-created municipal corporations in the capital, one with help from others, cruising ahead of Congress in the civic body polls.

While it was poised to win North and East rpt East Corporations comfortably, in the South rpt South, the BJP looks to be emerging as the single largest party and is confident of getting the support of independents to cross the midway mark.

Of the 128 results declared by State Election Commission out of 272 wards in all three corporations, BJP has bagged 68 while Congress has won 40 seats.

BSP has bagged five seats, RLD two and JD(U) and INLD one each while ten independents have also won.

In South Delhi Corporation which has a total of 104 wards, BJP has won or is leading in as many as 43 out of the 104 wards while Congress was ahead in 30 seats. Interestingly, others are leading in 26 seats.

In North Delhi Corporation, which has 104 seats, BJP is ahead in 61 seats while Congress is ahead in 16 seats. Others are leading four wards.

East Delhi Corporation with 64 seats is witnessing a close fight with BJP winning or leading in 34 seats while Congress is ahead in 16 seats.

Stakes are high for both the national parties in the municipal polls, considered as a semi-final ahead of the Assembly elections next year.

In the 2007 polls to the undivided Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), BJP had bagged 36.17 per cent of the around 42.35 lakh votes polled while Congress got 29.17 per cent.

BSP's vote share was 9.87 per cent.

BJP has 164 councillors in the undivided MCD against Congress' 67 and BSP's 17.

Congress sought to downplay the results with party spokesperson Rashid Alvi saying that MCD polls should be seen only as civic polls. BJP's M Venkaiah Naidu said BJP's good governance in MCD and Congress' corruption resulted in the good show of his party.