The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) lost its majority in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on Saturday after three of its councillors—Anita Basoya (Andrews Ganj), Nikhil Chaprana (Hari Nagar), and Dharamvir (RK Puram)—switched allegiance to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Their decision follows a trend of defections that began in November 2024.
The trio cited their admiration for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and vision for development as their reason for joining the BJP. With this shift, the BJP has gained a slim lead in the MCD house, increasing its strength to 116 councillors from the 104 it secured in the December 2022 elections.
Meanwhile, AAP’s numbers have dwindled to 114 from 134, while the Congress now holds eight seats after losing one. Twelve seats remain vacant.
Although AAP’s Mahesh Kumar currently serves as mayor, the BJP’s newfound majority may not have an immediate impact on governance, as the mayor does not need to prove a majority during their tenure, which ends in March.
However, with mayoral elections scheduled for April, the BJP now has a clear advantage.
The electoral college for the mayoral elections consists of 274 members, including 250 elected councillors, 10 MPs (seven from the Lok Sabha and three from the Rajya Sabha), and 14 MLAs nominated based on party strength in the Delhi Assembly.
BJP Welcomes New Councillors, Talks of ‘Triple-Engine Government’
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva welcomed Basoya, Chaprana, and Dharamvir into the party, asserting that the BJP would transform Delhi into a developed city.
He emphasized that while Delhi has long been familiar with the term “double-engine government”—referring to BJP-led governance at both the Centre and the MCD—now people are discussing a “triple-engine government” with BJP’s return to the Delhi Assembly.
“Our goal is to make Delhi a city that every resident is proud of. Under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, the country is progressing toward becoming a developed nation, and Delhi will be no different.
Those joining us in this effort will not only contribute to the city’s growth but will also find fulfillment in improving the lives of Delhi’s citizens,” Sachdeva said.
Leader of Opposition in MCD, Raja Iqbal Singh, demanded the resignation of Mayor Mahesh Kumar, stating that AAP’s loss of majority meant he should step down on moral grounds.
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