BJP reclaims MCD after 2 yrs

The BJP on Friday regained control of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) after a gap of nearly two years, with senior leader Raja Iqbal Singh being elected as the new Mayor of Delhi.

The development marks the return of the BJP to the helm of the civic body, completing what party leaders have termed a “triple-engine government” in the national capital.

Raja Iqbal Singh secured a commanding victory, bagging 133 votes. Singh’s rival, Congress candidate Mandeep Singh, managed only eight votes. One vote was declared invalid. A total of 142 votes were cast in the election.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) boycotted the elections, paving the way for the BJP’s unchallenged win. AAP’s move came amid its recent political setbacks, including a drop in its strength in the MCD.

BJP’s Raja Iqbal Singh, a councillor from Mukherjee Nagar (Ward No. 13), had been serving as the Leader of the Opposition in the MCD and previously held the position of Mayor in the erstwhile North Delhi Municipal Corporation.

After his victory, Singh expressed gratitude to the party and councillors. Outlining his priorities, he assured that the BJP-led MCD would work to improve essential civic services like cleanliness, primary healthcare and quality education.

Singh said special attention would be given to addressing long-pending civic challenges such as legacy waste at landfill sites, waterlogging and maintenance of roads, parks and public infrastructure.

“We are committed to action. The development pace that had slowed down in the past few years will now gain momentum. We will work impartially and in the public interest and seek support from every corner,” Singh said after taking charge.

BJP leader Jai Bhagwan Yadav, councillor from Begumpur, was elected unopposed as the Deputy Mayor after Congress candidate Ariba Asif Khan withdrew her nomination. Yadav, too, pledged to work in the public interest and contribute to the civic body’s smooth functioning.

The AAP, which had held the mayoral post until now, opted to boycott the elections, stating that the BJP should “govern Delhi without any excuses” if it believed in a triple-engine model. AAP’s Mahesh Kumar Khinchi had narrowly won the mayoral elections in November 2024, defeating BJP candidate Shikha Rai by just three votes. However, the political equation has since changed drastically with the BJP gaining momentum in local and national politics.

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva congratulated the newly elected Mayor and Deputy Mayor, stating that their victory had opened the doors for efficient governance in the city. He said the BJP’s leadership in the civic body would ensure timely and transparent delivery of public services.

Sachdeva said the formation of the Standing Committee, a key decision-making body within the MCD, would soon be initiated by the new Mayor. This would allow financial and administrative decisions to be taken in accordance with the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act of 1957.