AAP Withdraws From Delhi Mayor Polls: Fear Of Defeat Or Genuine Concern? BJP CM Rekha Gupta Says…-OxBig News Network

Delhi Mayor Polls 2025: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has announced its withdrawal from the upcoming elections for the posts of mayor and deputy mayor in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, thus handing the BJP a walkover, days ahead of the polls. The polls are scheduled to be held on April 25. The elections for the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of the MCD are held every year. 

AAP Alleges, Sabotage, Horse Trading

Addressing a press conference, former Delhi chief minister and Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, Atishi, said, “The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will play the role of a strong opposition in the MCD as well. BJP did a lot of rigging during the MCD elections but still it lost badly. Even after this, it did not stop and all the councillors were poached.” 

She said her party does not believe in the ‘politics of sabotage and horse-trading’ and has, therefore, decided not to participate in the mayoral contest. “Now the BJP should form its triple engine government and fulfil its promises made to the people of Delhi without any excuses,” Atishi said.

Delhi CM Rekha Gupta Hits Back

Reacting to the AAP’s withdrawal and allegations against the BJP, Delhi Chief Minister and BJP leader Rekha Gupta claimed that AAP’s political base has been eroded in the national capital as people have lost faith in the party.  Gupta claimed that the AAP MLAs and councillors are unhappy with their party leadership for adopting “anti-people” policies while being in power.

BJP Mayor, Deputy Mayor Candidate

The BJP has declared its senior councillors Raja Iqbal Singh and Jai Bhagwan Yadav as candidates for the posts of mayor and deputy mayor, respectively, and is poised to win the elections.

Where Do The Numbers Stand?

The MCD has a total strength of 250 councillors. Besides the councillors, 7 Members of Parliament from the National Capital and 14 nominated MLAs as per the strength of the political parties in the Delhi assembly, are eligible to vote in the mayor and deputy mayor polls. The remaining eight councillors belong to the Congress. Of the 14 nominated MLAs, 11 belong to the BJP and 3 to the AAP.

In the 2022 MCD polls, the AAP bagged 134 of the 250 wards, while the BJP won 104. The BJP’s current strength in the MCD has increased to 117 following multiple defections from the AAP over the past few months. With the help of 7MPs and 11 nominated MLAs, the BJP’s final tally reaches 135, which is enough to help the BJP secure a victory. The AAP’s final tally along with the MLAs would be around 116.