In a decisive win for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Raja Iqbal Singh has been elected as the new Mayor of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), with Jai Bhagwan Yadav appointed as Deputy Mayor. This victory comes just a few months after the BJP’s unprecedented success in the Delhi Assembly elections. For the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the BJP’s triumph in the mayoral elections is a significant setback, especially after the party ended BJP’s 15-year rule in the MCD by winning 134 out of 250 seats in December 2022.
The BJP, which secured 104 seats, now faces an interesting new chapter in Delhi’s civic governance. This marks the first time the BJP has controlled all three levels of government in the national capital: the central government, Delhi state, and the MCD.
A New Era for Delhi’s Civic Governance
The BJP’s victory is a testament to its political acumen and organisational strength. Raja Iqbal Singh, a former mayor of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation, brings significant experience to the role.
His leadership is expected to focus on addressing pressing civic issues, with a commitment to restoring public confidence in municipal governance. Similarly, Jai Bhagwan
Yadav’s appointment as Deputy Mayor complements this leadership, with Yadav’s extensive background in the BJP’s organisational activities strengthening the party’s position within the MCD.
Singh’s immediate agenda emphasises enhancing sanitation, improving drainage systems to address waterlogging issues and upgrading basic civic amenities. This marks a shift in priorities, with the BJP vowing to deliver on long-neglected urban concerns.
Impact of AAP’s Boycott and Congress’s Limited Role
The AAP’s decision to boycott the mayoral election and the Congress’s minimal presence have significantly influenced the election’s outcome. AAP’s absence from the electoral process allowed the BJP to consolidate its position, while Congress’s reduced influence limited its ability to impact the election results.
Post-election, Raja Iqbal Singh has outlined a comprehensive agenda focusing on enhancing sanitation, addressing waterlogging issues, and improving basic civic amenities. His commitment to these issues reflects the BJP’s intent to prioritize public welfare and infrastructural development in Delhi.
Moments after the victory, a senior functionary of the party present at the civic centre said, “We have created a history in Delhi by ruling at all three levels of the government. Before this, only Congress had government at all three levels from 2004 to 2007. Our performance in the MCD mayoral elections underscores its strategic acumen and organisational strength. With experienced leaders like Raja Iqbal Singh and Jai Bhagwan Yadav at the helm, the party is poised to address city’s civic challenges and reshape the governance landscape. This development marks a new chapter in Delhi’s political history, with potential long-term effects on its administrative and political framework.”
Formation of Standing Committee on cards
One of the immediate priorities for the new dispensation will be forming the much-delayed Standing Committee — a powerful body that controls the corporation’s finances. Its formation has been pending for over three years, severely hampering the execution of major civic projects worth over Rs 5 crore.
The Standing Committee, comprising 18 elected councillors, wields significant influence. Six members are directly elected from the House, while the remaining 12 come from Delhi’s 12 municipal zones. Without a fully functional Standing Committee, crucial developmental decisions have been stuck in limbo. Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh, moments after assuming charge, vowed that the BJP would form the Standing Committee within a month and work in coordination with the Delhi government to accelerate stalled civic projects.
Eye-opening facts which pose challenges
The new leadership inherits a civic body in deep financial and administrative trouble. A recent report submitted by a high-level committee to the Delhi High Court — constituted after the tragic drowning of three UPSC aspirants in a waterlogged basement — lays bare the severe dysfunction within the MCD.
The report, which brings to light the severe mismanagement and structural weaknesses within the MCD, revealed that over the past three financial years, the MCD has been burdened with a liability of Rs 14,119.27 crore, a figure that includes dues to employees, contractors, internal borrowings and loans from the Delhi government.
On 27 June, Shreya Yadav from Uttar Pradesh, Tanya Soni from Telangana, and Navin Dalwin from Kerala, each in their twenties and preparing for the civil services examination, died after they got trapped in a basement inundated by rainwater.
The building housed the Rau IAS coaching institute, which had been operating a library in the basement despite clear violations of safety regulations. Following the incident, officials from multiple civic agencies in Delhi engaged in a blame game over jurisdiction and responsibility.
The committee’s report, however, suggests that the issue extends far beyond mere lapses in enforcement and lies rooted in a broader breakdown of municipal functioning and accountability. The committee, which includes the Chief Secretary of Delhi, the Commissioner of Police, and senior officials from the MCD, NDMC, DDA, and other agencies, stated that the capital is facing compounding challenges due to rapid urbanisation, unauthorised construction, administrative delays and poor service delivery.
These issues, it said, demand immediate structural and financial reforms. It further highlighted that the MCD’s financial statements for the years 2021–22, 2022–23, and 2023–24 do not disclose substantial liabilities, including Rs 2,751.78 crore due to employees, Rs 1,079.50 crore owed to contractors and others, Rs 2,746.88 crore in internal loans and Rs 7,541.11 crore borrowed from the Delhi government.
The report also noted that MCD receives one of the lowest Grants-in-Aid among Indian metropolitan bodies. It recommended that structured and rule-based land and property development, particularly by the private sector, could generate income, provided it is brought under proper regulation. Currently, such development either falls under the remit of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) or takes place unauthorised due to regulatory gaps.
The committee also drew attention to the financial instability of the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), which is struggling to meet the growing demands of the city’s urban poor. Its limited funding has delayed the construction of new shelters and hindered the upgrading of existing infrastructure.
It observed that poor coordination between multiple agencies, compounded by the lack of financial independence of local bodies, has led to repeated administrative failures. It said that improving Delhi’s financial infrastructure will require a holistic approach, addressing overlapping responsibilities and structural inefficiencies across agencies.
Among its recommendations, the committee proposed the formation of a Standing Committee chaired by the Chief Secretary of Delhi, with representation from top finance officials of the MCD, NDMC, DDA, DJB, Delhi Cantonment Board, and the Delhi government. It stressed the need for the immediate enforcement of Master Plan Delhi (MPD) 2021 norms, stating that this would reduce revenue loss due to unauthorised development and create opportunities for legalisation and penalty-based income.
The committee further recommended commissioning a comprehensive study aimed at transforming municipal bodies into financially self-reliant institutions. One of the key suggestions was the issuance of municipal bonds to raise funds for large-scale infrastructure and affordable housing projects, a step that could reduce dependency on external grants and increase fiscal resilience.
What Lies Ahead for BJP in Delhi’s Governance
With the BJP now firmly in control of the MCD, the party faces mounting pressure to deliver on its promises. The challenges of waste management, infrastructure development, and improved civic services will test the party’s ability to govern effectively. Issues such as legacy waste at landfill sites, waterlogging, and the desilting of drains before the monsoon season are urgent matters that the new leadership must address immediately.
BJP’s leadership has pledged to address these issues head-on, focusing on sanitation, infrastructure development, and education.
The mayor has also promised to scrap user charges for garbage collection, providing much-needed relief to residents. Moreover, the new administration has vowed to improve the city’s health and education systems, make parks greener, curb corruption, and reduce pollution.
A Unified Approach to Urban Governance
In addition to addressing immediate civic concerns, there is growing recognition that Delhi’s complex governance structure needs a unified approach. The committee’s report recommended the establishment of a digital dashboard to track services and projects across various agencies. It also stressed the need for enhanced coordination between the MCD, DDA, NDMC, and other bodies to streamline service delivery.
The report also highlighted issues with overcrowded living conditions in Delhi’s coaching hubs, particularly in areas like Mukherjee Nagar, Karol Bagh, and Laxmi Nagar, where students live in subpar conditions. The committee suggested relocating these students to better-equipped areas, as well as addressing inefficiencies in water supply, sewage, and drainage systems.
Looking Ahead: A Long Road to Reform
The challenges facing Delhi’s new leadership are substantial. However, with Raja Iqbal Singh at the helm, the BJP now has a historic opportunity to reshape the city’s governance landscape. The party’s success will depend on its ability to manage city’s financial crises and deliver real improvements in the lives of its residents.
Governance lapses exposed
A Breakdown of key liabilities
Rs 2,751.78 cr owed to employees
Rs 1,079.50 crore due to contractors and others
Rs 2,746.88 crore in internal loans
Rs 7,541.11 crore borrowed from the Delhi govt
Report highlights poor coordination, overlapping jurisdictions, unauthorised construction, service delays, and failure in urban planning enforcement.
The committee blames the broader collapse in civic governance rather than isolated enforcement lapses.
Private land/property development remains largely unregulated, often under DDA or outside formal oversight, a major cause of revenue leakage.
The report suggests forming a permanent inter-agency Standing Committee chaired by Delhi’s Chief Secretary, including top officials from MCD, NDMC, DDA, DJB, Delhi Cantonment and Delhi government.
1.Impact of AAP’s boycott in elections
The absence of AAP from the mayoral election process allowed the BJP to consolidate its position. Congress’s diminishing influence has also limited its capacity to influence the results. In fact, the AAP’s boycott of the election likely facilitated BJP’s ability to control the mayoral race.
2.Financial strain & administrative lapse
The new leadership inherits a civic body in deep financial and administrative trouble. A recent report submitted by a high-level committee to the Delhi HC — constituted after the tragic drowning of three UPSC aspirants in a waterlogged basement — lays bare the severe dysfunction within MCD.
3.A new beginning — but can BJP deliver?
Despite the BJP’s promises of a clean, green and efficient Delhi, the road ahead is fraught with challenges. Citizens will closely watch whether the BJP can live up to its tall claims. Failure to deliver could quickly erode public trust. The capital awaits a new era in governance.