India's Hindu-nationalist ruling party led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated a landslide victory Saturday in key elections in the capital province of Delhi, with the former chief minister suffering a crushing defeat.

"Development has won, good governance has won," Modi said after the city's ex-leader — a key opposition figurehead to the premier — was confirmed as having lost his seat.

Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is in government in the national parliament but has not controlled the local legislature in the capital since 1998, so it is a symbolic and strategically important victory.