AAP Faces Setback as Councillors Form New Political Front

The Aam Aadmi Party is facing a significant challenge as a group of its councillors, led by Hemchandra Goyal, have decided to form a new political front named 'Indraprastha Development Party'. This split comes ahead of crucial elections in the Delhi Municipal Corporation, where the party currently holds 113 seats but has lost 15 members to this new faction. The upcoming elections on May 22 will fill vacant positions in the MCD's standing committee and elect new ward committee leaders. With the BJP currently holding a slight edge in the council, the political landscape in Delhi is poised for a shift.

By Narendra Chaudhary May 17, 2025, 14:40 IST

Formation of a New Political Entity

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is experiencing a significant setback. A meeting led by councillor Hemchandra Goyal took place on Saturday, where approximately 15 councillors made several key decisions. They announced the formation of a new political front, likely to be named 'Indraprastha Development Party', with Mukesh Goyal set to lead this new faction. Currently, AAP holds 113 seats, but with this split, they have lost 15 members. In contrast, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has 117 members, while the Congress party retains 8 councillors.

Upcoming Elections in MCD

Among those forming the new front are Dinesh Bhardwaj, Suman Anil Rana, Mukesh Goyal, and Hemchandra Goyal. The Delhi Municipal Corporation (MCD) is scheduled to hold elections on May 22 to fill two vacant positions in its standing committee, along with elections for various ward committee chairpersons and vice-chairpersons. This information was disclosed in an official notice. The need for these elections arose due to the resignation of two councillors after being elected as MLAs. These councillors were previously elected to the standing committee from the South Zone and City-SP Zone ward committees.

Details of the Upcoming Elections

The elections will take place on May 22, with representatives being chosen through a secret ballot. On the same day, elections for the chairperson and vice-chairperson positions of various ward committees will also occur, including those from Najafgarh, Rohini, Karol Bagh, Central, Narela, South, and City-SP zones. In April, BJP candidate Raja Iqbal Singh was elected as the new mayor of Delhi, marking the party's return to power in the MCD after two years. Iqbal defeated Congress candidate Mandeep Singh, while AAP boycotted the mayoral election. Following the announcement of the mayoral results, a second round of voting for the deputy mayor position is anticipated.