The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) claimed victory in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) elections on Thursday, November 14, narrowly defeating the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). AAP candidate Mahesh Khichi was elected as Delhi’s Mayor, winning with 133 votes against BJP’s Kishan Lal, who received 130 votes.
Following Khichi’s win, AAP councillors celebrated with “Jai Bhim” chants, marking the Dalit candidate’s victory in the tightly contested election. The BJP subsequently withdrew from the deputy mayor race, allowing AAP’s Ravinder Bharadwaj to secure the position unopposed.
In the voting process, two ballots were declared invalid, with a total of 256 votes cast. Despite eight AAP councillors cross-voting, which increased BJP’s tally, AAP still managed a three-vote edge. Congress boycotted the election, demanding a full term for the mayor instead of the truncated four-month tenure, with party leaders alleging the administration was limiting a Dalit mayor’s term.
In a last-minute twist, Congress councillor Sabila Begum resigned to support the AAP, publicly expressing her intent online. Party leaders and prominent MPs, including AAP’s Sanjay Singh and BJP MPs from Delhi, actively participated in the election.
