BJP sweeps MCD poll, Raja Iqbal Singh elected as Delhi's new mayor

Raja Iqbal Singh of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was elected Mayor of Delhi on Friday, securing 133 out of 142 votes in a decisive victory as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) boycotted the election and the Congress trailed with just eight votes. One vote was declared invalid.

 

With this win, the BJP has reclaimed control of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) after a two-year gap, marking a significant political comeback in the capital’s civic body. 

#WATCH | BJP candidate Raja Iqbal Singh elected as Delhi's new Mayor. pic.twitter.com/y0jwWG10eA

— ANI (@ANI) April 25, 2025

 

BJP strengthens its numbers

 

The current strength of the MCD stands at 238, reduced from the original 250 seats due to 12 vacancies—some councillors having been elected to the Delhi Assembly and one to the Lok Sabha. The BJP now holds 117 councillors, up from 104 in 2022, while AAP’s numbers have dropped from 134 to 113. Congress remains with eight.

 

 

The electoral college for the mayoral election includes 238 councillors, 10 MPs (7 from the Lok Sabha and 3 from the Rajya Sabha), and 14 MLAs. The BJP’s position was further strengthened by the inclusion of 11 BJP MLAs in the voting process.

 

AAP boycott over defection allegations

 

The AAP, which narrowly won the last mayoral race in November 2024 with Mahesh Kumar Khinchi edging out a win by just three votes, stayed away from this year’s poll. The party accused the BJP of engineering defections among AAP councillors and claimed that the election process had been compromised.

 

Despite the boycott, voting proceeded without disruption, allowing the BJP to secure a dominant win.

 

Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh pledges inclusive development

 

After the victory, Raja Iqbal Singh thanked senior BJP leaders and promised to work towards the development of Delhi without bias.

 

“I would like to thank Prime Minister 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,” Singh said.

 

(With agency inputs)