BJP aims to capture MCD from AAP, potentially forming a ‘triple engine government’ in Delhi.
NEW DELHI: After ending its 27-year-long political exile in Delhi, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is now setting its sights on capturing the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the upcoming mayoral elections. If successful, this would establish a “triple engine government” in the national capital, with the BJP controlling the central government, the state government, and the civic body. The mayoral elections are scheduled to take place in April, unless they are delayed due to the 12 vacant seats, which were left unoccupied after their representatives were elected as MLAs in the recently concluded Assembly elections.
A total of 12 seats in the MCD are currently vacant. This includes 11 members who were elected as MLAs in the February 2025 Assembly elections and one member who became an MP in June 2024.
The MCD consists of 250 wards, which go to polls every five years. The last elections for these 250 councillor seats were conducted in 2022. However, the election of the Mayor takes place annually. Out of the five mayoral elections in a term, the first is reserved for a woman, and the third is designated for a Scheduled Caste (SC) candidate.
Notably, the AAP secured a majority in the last MCD elections held in 2022 and has successfully won the Mayor’s seat in the last three annual elections. However, with the political landscape in Delhi shifting following the BJP’s victory in the Assembly elections, the power dynamics in the MCD and the upcoming mayoral election are expected to change as well. Over the past few months, the number of BJP councillors in the MCD has been increasing, while AAP’s strength has been diminishing. AAP’s councillor count dropped from 125 in November 2024 to 121 in January 2025. Meanwhile, the BJP’s tally has risen from 113 to 120 during the same period. Between January and February 2025, four AAP councillors defected to the BJP, and three additional AAP councillors were elected as MLAs, further reducing AAP’s numbers to just 114 councillors.
It is important to note that, unlike in Assembly or Lok Sabha elections, where the anti-defection law applies, councillors in the MCD can switch parties freely without facing disqualification.
On the other hand, while eight BJP councillors were elected as MLAs, reducing the party’s numbers to 112, the addition of four AAP defectors increased its total to 116 councillors.
With the shift in power, the BJP has now set its focus on the MCD.
Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva previously stated, “Delhi will soon have a triple engine government,” emphasising that the numbers in the civic body were tilting in BJP’s favour.
At present, the BJP holds 116 councillor seats compared to AAP’s 114.
To secure the Mayor’s post, a candidate must receive at least 138 votes out of the total 274 valid votes. Apart from the 250 elected councillors, additional elected representatives also participate in the mayoral election. These include Delhi’s seven Lok Sabha MPs (all from the BJP), three Rajya Sabha MPs (all from AAP), and 14 MLAs (1/5th of the Delhi Assembly) nominated by the Speaker on a rotational basis every year.
While the votes of the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha MPs remain unchanged, the shift in power within the Delhi Assembly has altered the voting dynamics in favour of BJP.
Regarding the 14 MLAs who will participate in the voting, it is crucial to acknowledge that the Speaker of the Assembly is now a BJP MLA. This change is significant, as the BJP’s strength in the Delhi Assembly has increased from eight to 48 MLAs. As a result, it is expected that more of the 14 selected MLAs will be from the BJP this time.
With the seven Lok Sabha MPs, a likely majority among the 14 MLAs, and a growing number of BJP councillors, the party appears to have an advantage in the upcoming MCD mayoral election.
This is in contrast to the 2024 mayoral election, when an AAP MLA held the Speaker’s post and favoured the AAP while selecting the 14 voting MLAs. At that time, 13 of the 14 MLAs chosen were from AAP, with only one representing the BJP.