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.

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.

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.

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.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bhartiya Janata 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

Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party was predicted to win an absolute majority in the 70-member assembly of the capital territory, defeating the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of Arvind Kejriwal, a fierce critic of Modi.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi finally won control of the national capital for his party after more than two decades, a resounding victory that underlines a recovery in support since an unexpectedly poor showing in last year’s national elections.