Mission MCD! Months After Returning to Power in Delhi, BJP Faces Another Crucial Electoral Test

With campaigning now concluded, all eyes are on the crucial Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) by-elections scheduled for 30 November. For the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, this marks the first major challenge barely months after it stormed back to power in Delhi, winning 48 out of 70 assembly seats—its first state government in the capital in 27 years.

The results, to be declared on 3 December, will signal whether the BJP has succeeded in rebuilding its influence within the MCD, an institution it once controlled for three consecutive terms until the Aam Aadmi Party unseated it in the 2022 civic elections.

A Prestige Battle for BJP

Of the 12 wards where by-elections are being held, nine were originally held by the BJP and three by AAP. For the BJP, the outcome is not just numerical—it’s a matter of prestige.
The Shalimar Bagh-B ward fell vacant after Rekha Gupta, a former councillor, won the assembly seat earlier this year. Similarly, the Dwarka-B seat was vacated by Kamaljeet Sehrawat after her election to the Lok Sabha.

A total of 51 candidates, including 26 women, are in the fray. The BJP has fielded 8 women candidates, AAP 6, and Congress 5.

Current Strength in the MCD

The 250-member MCD House currently stands reconfigured due to frequent defections—since anti-defection law does not apply to civic bodies. The present composition is:

• BJP – 116 councillors
• AAP – 99 councillors
• Indraprastha Development Party – 15
• Congress – 8

In the 2022 MCD elections, AAP had secured a comfortable majority with 134 seats, while the BJP won 104 seats and Congress 9. Three seats were won by independents.

BJP’s Confidence at Its Peak

Delhi Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh has declared that the BJP is poised to win all 12 seats.
“The people of Delhi have rejected AAP completely, and we can see this on the ground,” he said.
He added that voters from Purvanchal—who played a key role in BJP’s strong performance in the recent Bihar elections—would also support the party in Delhi.

The BJP’s Delhi unit has conducted an intense, ward-by-ward campaign, mobilising its entire organization.

AAP Also Fighting Hard

The Aam Aadmi Party, determined to protect its urban stronghold, has fielded senior leaders for campaigning, including Atishi, Saurabh Bharadwaj, Sanjay Singh, and Gopal Rai.
However, Arvind Kejriwal, AAP’s national convenor, did not participate in the campaign.

Among the 12 seats, five are reserved for women and one for Scheduled Castes (SC); the remaining are unreserved.

The 12 Wards Going to By-Polls

• Mundka – 54,525 voters
• Shalimar Bagh-B – 66,397 voters
• Ashok Vihar – 56,697 voters
• Chandni Chowk – 44,166 voters
• Chandni Mahal – 46,237 voters
• Dwarka-B – 66,184 voters
• Dhichau Kalan – 72,396 voters
• Narayana – 59,340 voters
• Sangam Vihar-A – 59,365 voters
• Dakshin Puri – 61,636 voters
• Greater Kailash – 49,631 voters
• Vinod Nagar – 62,190 voters

Key Poll Details

• Total Polling Stations: 580
• Election Date: 30 November
• Counting Day: 3 December