BJP in pole position to control Delhi civic body’s standing committee

A senior MCD official said that the 18-member standing committee, which oversees the finances and policy issues, currently has 17 elected representatives, with the BJP holding a clear majority of 10

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) continued its winning streak in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) by securing the chairperson post in eight of the 12 zonal ward committees and ensuring a clear majority in the all-powerful standing committee, following two-and-a-half years of uncertainty due to legal tussles with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

BJP candidates after their victory in zonal ward committees. (Sonu Mehta/HT)

A senior MCD official said that the 18-member standing committee, which oversees the finances and policy issues, currently has 17 elected representatives, with the BJP holding a clear majority of 10 and the AAP having seven members.

“The final member’s election is scheduled for Tuesday’s house of councillors meeting, which is likely to go to the BJP as it has a clear numerical majority. With 11 out of 18 members, the BJP is likely to secure the standing committee chair on June 12,” the official said.

The lack of a standing committee has paralysed the MCD, as it needs to approve projects estimated over ₹5 crore, clear layout change plans, and review audits, among others. This has delayed multiple projects, including the city’s first dog park, Shahjahanabad Museum, biomining of landfills, waste collection agreements, and layout plans of major projects.

On Monday, the Civic Centre was a bustle of activity as chairpersons and deputies were elected for 12 wards committees between 10am and 5pm. Besides, two standing committee posts were also polled, after the members quit on being elevated as legislators.

According to the results declared by the municipal secretariat, the BJP secured the chairperson post in eight zones: Central, South, Shahdara North, Shahdara South, Keshavpuram, Civil Lines, Narela and Najafgarh. The AAP won the City Sadar Paharganj, Karol Bagh, West and Rohini zones.

The AAP’s breakaway faction, the Indraprastha Vikas Party (IVP), suffered a major setback and could not open its account despite the BJP’s support. The Congress abstained from the election process.

Of note in the election results were surprising outcomes in the Rohini and South zones, due to cross-voting. In Rohini, the AAP got 11 votes and the IVP 11 for the chairperson post, while the BJP secured the deputy chair post with 11 votes. In the South zone, cross-voting led to the BJP securing the chair, deputy and standing committee post.

South Delhi MP Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, who was coordinating the South zone, said: “All three contestants got 10 votes each. Congress councillor Sheetal Vedpal also voted for the BJP for all three posts even though the Congress did not participate in these elections.”

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said that the results established that the AAP was on its way down. “Not only has it lost public support, but now, even its elected representatives and office-bearers are drifting away from it. We will also win the election for the 11th member of the standing committee. Soon after, we will conduct the election for the chairman of the standing committee and restart stalled development works.”

AAP Delhi chief Saurabh Bharadwaj wrote on X, “Aam Aadmi Party has secured victories in the West Zone, City Sadar Zone, Karol Bagh Zone, and Rohini Zone of the MCD. Despite 15 councillors leaving the party to form a new faction with BJP’s support, we have managed to retain control over 4 out of 5 zones. I am very proud to share that those who abandoned their AAP to form a new faction and openly received BJP’s backing in the zonal elections have failed to win a single zone.”