BJP’s Raja Iqbal Singh Elected Delhi Mayor as Party Reclaims MCD After Two Years

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) reclaimed leadership of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on Friday, April 25, 2025, as Raja Iqbal Singh was elected the new Mayor. This victory marked BJP’s return to the MCD after a two-year gap.

Comfortable Victory Over Congress as AAP Boycotts

Raja Iqbal Singh defeated Congress candidate Mandeep Singh, securing 133 out of 142 votes. BJP suffered two vote losses due to MP Manoj Tiwari’s absence and one invalidated ballot.

The Congress managed to secure just eight votes, while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had already announced a boycott of the election earlier in the week.

As Mr. Iqbal took his seat, BJP councillors erupted in chants of “Bharat Mata ki Jai.”

“We will try to form the Standing Committee within a month and work in coordination with the Delhi government to ensure people face no problems. Our priorities include making parks greener, curbing corruption and pollution, and scrapping user charges immediately,” Mr. Iqbal Singh said.

He further outlined his focus on education, stating that the party will “motivate teachers, provide funds for students’ uniforms, and improve school infrastructure.”

Iqbal Singh’s Political Journey and Background

Raja Iqbal Singh has previously served as the Leader of the Opposition in the MCD and was the former Mayor of North MCD. He comes from a family with strong ties to Akali Dal politics.

His father-in-law was a councillor from the GTB Nagar constituency, and his brother-in-law was also active in Akali politics.

Iqbal Singh had served as an Akali Dal councillor from GTB Nagar and headed the Civil Lines Zone of the corporation until September 2020.

BJP Strengthens Its Triple Engine Sarkar

In a significant boost for the BJP, the party now controls the Centre, the Lieutenant Governor’s office, and the MCD in Delhi. With the AAP boycotting the race, BJP secured the mayoral win unchallenged.

Jai Bhagwan Yadav from BJP was also elected Deputy Mayor.

Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva congratulated both the newly elected Mayor and Deputy Mayor, calling their election a “crucial step” toward ensuring better governance in the capital.

He stressed that the new Mayor would soon initiate the formation of the Standing Committee, the key financial and administrative decision-making body under the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act of 1957.

“The newly elected Mayor will soon ensure the formation of the Standing Committee so that Delhi residents can begin reaping the benefits of the Triple-Engine Government at the earliest,” said Sachdeva.

AAP Alleges BJP Used ‘Unethical’ Methods

Following the BJP’s win, AAP leader Saurabh Bhardwaj accused the party of unethical tactics. He alleged that BJP engineered defections from AAP and exerted undue influence to manipulate the election outcome.

“The BJP has worked unethically to shift AAP councillors to BJP in a bid to break our party,” Bhardwaj said. He also cited LG interference, fraud in the delimitation process, and cross-voting controversies during Standing Committee elections.

“What’s happening isn’t democracy; it’s manipulation,” he added, explaining why the AAP chose to boycott the election.

Congress Criticises AAP’s Decision to Boycott

Despite having only eight councillors, the Congress chose to participate in the mayoral election. A Congress party source criticised AAP, saying, “They cannot accept defeat. They ruined the city, and now don’t want to take accountability.”

The Congress maintained that it would continue participating in civic affairs and would not disengage from the electoral process.

BJP Promises Development Without Discrimination

After securing the mayoral post, Iqbal Singh thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP national president JP Nadda, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva, and other party leaders.

“I assure you that I will work in collaboration with the ruling party, the opposition, and the Congress. Decisions will be made for the development of Delhi without any discrimination,” Iqbal Singh said.

He also promised to regularise all eligible contractual workers under the BMP scheme as per rules.

BJP’s Strength Rises as AAP’s Numbers Fall

Currently, the MCD strength stands at 238 councillors, after 12 vacancies due to councillors moving to the Delhi Assembly and Lok Sabha. Originally, MCD had 250 seats.

The BJP now holds 117 councillors, up from 104 in 2022. AAP’s numbers have fallen to 113, down from 134. The Congress remains steady with eight seats.

The BJP’s position was further strengthened by the addition of 11 BJP MLAs into the electoral college, which includes 238 councillors, 10 MPs, and 14 MLAs.

In the previous mayoral election of November 2024, AAP’s Mahesh Kumar Khinchi had won by just three votes, indicating how sharply the balance of power has shifted since then.