NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to form a “triple-engine” government in Delhi by securing a win in the upcoming Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) mayoral elections, scheduled for April 25. In a major political development, sources have claimed that nearly 15 to 25 AAP councillors could vote in favour of BJP candidates for the posts of Mayor and Deputy Mayor.
This potential defection is possible due to the non-applicability of the Anti-Defection Law in the MCD. Discontent among AAP councillors has reportedly grown due to anti-incumbency in their wards and the failure to constitute the Standing Committee and other key civic bodies since AAP’s victory in the 2022 MCD polls.
According to sources, critical civic projects worth over Rs 5 crore have remained stalled due to the absence of the Standing Committee. These include policy matters, audits, layout plan approvals, waste management agreements, and biomining of landfills. The power struggle within the AAP-led MCD has reportedly disrupted developmental work across the city. “The logjam created by AAP’s power tussles has affected the delivery of civic services. Without the Standing Committee—which controls the finances—MCD operations have come to a standstill. Frustrated with the lack of development and unable to face their constituents, several AAP councillors are now in touch with the BJP and considering switching sides,” a senior BJP leader, on the condition of anonymity said .
The Congress party, which had previously supported AAP candidates during the first mayoral polls, has decided to contest independently this time. The Congress has already announced candidates for all 12 vacant wards, signalling a three-way contest.
The 250-member MCD currently has 238 active councillors, with 12 seats vacant due to recent victories in the Lok Sabha and Delhi Assembly elections. Among the 12, 11 councillors became MLAs and one seat fell vacant after BJP’s Kamaljeet Sehrawat won the Dwarka Lok Sabha seat in 2024. By-elections for these seats will take place only after the mayoral polls.
In the 2022 MCD elections, AAP had won 134 seats, BJP 104, Congress 9, and Independents 3. AAP’s Shelly Oberoi won the first mayoral poll by a margin of 35 votes, while Mahesh Khichi narrowly won the third mayoral election in November 2024 by just 3 votes. However, AAP has seen a sharp decline in support, and many councillors feel the party has lost control of the MCD.
As per the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 14 MLAs nominated by the Delhi Assembly Speaker, 7 Lok Sabha MPs, and 3 Rajya Sabha MPs will also vote in the mayoral election.