Delhi: AAP loses majority in MCD after three councillors join BJP

AAP lost majority in Delhi's MCD as three councillors defected to BJP, raising concerns over development under AAP's rule.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday lost its majority in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) house of councillors after three ward representatives switched over to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — the latest in a series of defections dating back to November 2024.

AAP councillors join Delhi BJP in the presence of Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva on Saturday. (RAJ K RAJ /HT PHOTO)

Anita Basoya from the Andrews Ganj ward, along with Nikhil Chaprana (Hari Nagar) and Dharamvir (RK Puram) said they were joining the BJP inspired by the “leadership and vision of development of Prime Minister Narendra Modi”.

The BJP said the move means the people in Delhi are now talking about a “triple-engine government” in Delhi — at the Centre, the state, and the corporation.

The development — barely a week after the BJP comprehensively defeated the AAP in the Delhi assembly polls — means the BJP has edged ahead in the MCD house with 116 councillors, up from 104 following the MCD polls in December 2022. The AAP’s strength is down to 114, compared to the 134 earlier, while the Congress has another eight seats, losing one since 2022. The remaining 12 seats are vacant.

Current mayor Mahesh Kumar is a member of the AAP. The BJP securing a slight majority in the house means little till the end of his tenure in March — MCD mayors can function without the need to prove majority — but with mayoral elections scheduled for April, its advantage BJP.

The electoral college for the mayoral elections comprises 274 members — 250 elected councillors, ten of the Capital’s MPs (seven Lok Sabha, three Rajya Sabha) and 14 MLAs nominated by the MCD speaker in the ratio of party’s strength in assembly.

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva welcomed Basoya, Chaprana, and Dharamvir to the party, and said that the BJP will make the Capital a developed city.

“People have been talking about a double-engine government in Delhi, but now they are talking about a triple-engine government. Together, we have to make Delhi beautiful and developed which can make all residents proud. Those who make offerings in this pious work, will definitely make their life happier along with the people of Delhi. The country is progressing towards a developed India under the leadership of PM Modi, we will also make Delhi a developed city,” Sachdeva said.

“Anyone who wishes to see Delhi become a truly developed Capital is making an effort to contribute fully to this movement with the BJP. To build a beautiful and developed Delhi, continuous efforts will be required to complete the stalled development projects of the past ten years and realize the BJP’s vision for a progressive Delhi. People who truly wish to see Delhi develop are choosing to align with the BJP because they have been suffering under a decade-long rule of confusion and corruption. Now, they see BJP as the only viable alternative,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in MCD Raja Iqbal Singh on Saturday demanded the resignation of mayor Mahesh Kumar, claiming that Kumar should resign on moral grounds after the AAP lost majority in the MCD House.

“Under the AAP no work is taking place in the MCD. In the days to come, there will be a triple-engine government in Delhi under which the development of the city will take place at a faster pace,” Singh said.

The AAP, however, did not respond to HT’s request for a comment on the matter.

In the 2022 municipal polls, the AAP won 134 seats, while the BJP got 104 seats, Congress nine, and three seats were Independents. However, a number of councillors switched parties over the next two years — especially in the run-up to the recently concluded Delhi assembly polls — culminating in the AAP finally losing majority in the house on Saturday.

The AAP had won the last mayoral elections, held in November 2024, by three votes.

It must be noted that 12 seats in the house are vacant: one, after Kamaljeet Sehrawat resigned to become the West Delhi MP, while 11 incumbent councillors have been elected as MLAs.

Notably, the MCD commissioner Ashwini Kumar on Thursday tabled budget proposals worth ₹17,006 crore for 2025-26, keeping property tax rates unchanged for the financial year 2025-26. As per the proposals, sanitation sector received the highest allocation in the budget, accounting for 28.86% of the total, followed by 20.83% for general administration, 10.78% for public health and medical relief, 9.96% for education, 2.31% for horticulture, 4.62% for development, 3.93% for loan repayment, among other sectors.

The ₹4,907.1 crore allocation for sanitation is an increase from ₹4,305 crore in 2024-25. Development expenses, loan repayments, and horticulture work received smaller allocations.