Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist party won elections in the sprawling megacity of Delhi for the first time in 27 years on Saturday, defeating one of his most prominent critics in a much-needed boost after losing its national majority last year.

By Adnan Abidi and Rajendra Jadhav NEW DELHI (Reuters) -Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party on Saturday regained power in the nation's capital for the first time in 27 years, a boost for the Hindu-nationalist leader after a disappointing national election last year.

Control of the assembly in New Delhi is set to change hands, a feat that eluded the Indian prime minister’s Bharatiya Janata Party for nearly three decades.

Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party is expected to win 48 of the 70-member legislative assembly, where it was leading, according to the Election Commission of India’s website. BJP is reclaiming Delhi after almost three decades.

If the failure of AAP and the Congress to join hands for the Delhi Assembly election helped the BJP score a decisive victory, a Hyderabad factor, too, made its presence felt in the capital contest.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP party is set to win an election in the Delhi capital territory, TV exit polls projected on Wednesday, in a rebound after its surprisingly poor showing in a general election last year.

Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party is pitted against the Aam Aadmi Party, led by Arvind Kejriwal, which runs Delhi and has built a vast support base on its popular welfare policies and an anti-corruption movement.

Narendra Modi’s BJP finally takes Delhi, India’s political heart, which until now has remained out of its reach.

The ECI data showed that BJP bagged 48 of the 70 assembly seats in Delhi, while the AAP ended up securing 22 seats.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched a scathing attack on Congress following its dismal electoral performance in the national capital, saying it has hit a double hat-trick of 'zero' in Delhi elections.