In a significant political decision, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has chosen not to participate in the upcoming mayoral election in Delhi, scheduled for April 25. The announcement was made on the final day for filing nominations, confirming that AAP will not put forward a candidate for the top post in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).
The party cited its current numerical disadvantage in the MCD as the primary reason behind the move. With the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) enjoying a comfortable majority in the civic body, AAP acknowledged that contesting the election would be a futile exercise.
VIDEO | Delhi LoP and AAP Leader Atishi (@AtishiAAP) at a press conference alleges BJP has resorted to horse-trading ahead of Mayor polls. Here's what she said:
“BJP has increased its numbers through horse-trading and breaking councillors. If AAP wants to win the mayoral… pic.twitter.com/zPChDguoh7
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) April 21, 2025
In the meantime, the BJP has named Raja Iqbal Singh — the current Leader of Opposition in the MCD assembly — as its candidate for mayor. Jai Bhagwan Yadav, deputy Leader of Opposition, has been nominated for the deputy mayor position.
Accusations of horse-trading have surfaced amid the political maneuvering. At a press conference, senior AAP leader and Delhi’s Leader of Opposition, Atishi, accused the BJP of resorting to unethical means to boost its numbers. “The BJP has increased its strength through horse-trading and by breaking councillors,” she alleged. “If AAP wanted to win this election, the only way would be to follow the same path. But we refuse to engage in such politics, which is why we are stepping away from the contest.”
The development clears the path for the BJP to consolidate its dominance in the capital, advancing what party leaders are calling a “triple-engine government” — with control at the Centre, in Delhi’s administrative apparatus, and now in the municipal corporation. For AAP, the decision marks a deepening marginalisation from the city’s key power structures and reflects shifting political currents ahead of the next general elections.
This will also be the first major election AAP skips after suffering a major setback in the recent assembly polls. Despite fielding candidates in all 70 constituencies, the party won just 22 seats. Several senior leaders — including national convener Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, Somnath Bharti, Saurabh Bhardwaj, and Durgesh Pathak — lost their contests. The party’s vote share dropped to 43.57%, while the BJP secured a clear victory with 48 seats, cementing its dominance in the capital’s political landscape.