The Delimitation Commission’s recommendations on redefining Parliamentary and State Assembly constituencies got the formal nod last week, and the upshot is simple: the war zones for Assembly elections have changed contour.

Post-delimitation, the number of Parliamentary and Assembly seats remains unchanged — seven and 70, respectively — but constituencies have been redrawn considerably. The number of reserved Scheduled Caste (SC) seats has gone down from 13 to 12. While nine new constituencies have been added, as many have been scrapped from the political map. These include Yamuna Vihar, Jama Masjid, Minto Road and Geeta Colony among others.

But both major political parties in the Capital — the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — are sounding upbeat about coming up with the goods. Bogged down by the defeat in last year’s municipal elections and with the anti-incumbency wave expected to take shape, the ruling Congress hopes to get a fresh lease of life in areas like Outer Delhi and Chandni Chowk. The number of Assembly seats has increased in both areas.

The BJP, too, is confident of coming back to power after 10 years. The reason for buoyancy remains the same: the party is pinning its hopes on delimitation to weaken the Congress bastion.

“Once the electorate has decided where to cast their votes, a small shift in constituencies makes no difference; we know who they favour,” Delhi BJP president Dr Harshvardhan said. Party sources said the BJP is banking on the Bahujan Samaj Party making forays into Sajjan Kumar’s fortress: Outer Delhi, which has been trifurcated.

“One of these seats — Northwest Delhi, with 21.52 per cent SC population — has become a reserved seat,” a BJP member said. “Sajjan Kumar cannot contest there, and BSP is expected to make a huge dent into Congress votes.”

But Congress vice-president Chattar Singh, a member of the delimitation panel, said the delimitation exercise favours the ruling party. “The elections will be fought in Delhi’s rural areas and unauthorised colonies, for the number of seats has increased there,” Singh said. “And these areas, particularly in and around Sangam Vihar and Deoli, are Congress strongholds.”

But irrespective of results, the spotlight this time will remain on Congress’s Sajjan Kumar, and BJP’s Parvesh Singh (late Sahib Singhs Verma’s son) and Vijay Kumar Malhotra.