Delhi MCD Bypolls Results: BJP Dominates with 7 Wards, AAP Retains 3, Congress Opens Account After Years – Full Analysis
December 3, 2025 | Delhi Municipal Elections | First BJP Test After Assembly Victory
By Political & Electoral Affairs Correspondent
Delhi Politics & Local Body Elections Analyst
Focus: MCD elections, BJP-AAP dynamics, Delhi governance, civic body politics
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured a dominant victory in the Delhi MCD bypolls, winning 7 of 12 wards, while AAP retained 3 seats and Congress finally opened its account with 1 win. The All India Forward Bloc (AIFB) sprung a surprise by clinching 1 seat.
In the first major electoral test for Delhi's BJP government since its historic February 2025 Assembly victory, the Bharatiya Janata Party has delivered a strong performance in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) bypolls, winning 7 out of 12 wards as results were declared on Wednesday, December 3, 2025. The saffron party successfully retained key strongholds including Shalimar Bagh B (previously held by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta), Dwarka B (vacated by BJP MP Kamaljeet Sehrawat), and symbolic constituencies like Chandni Chowk and Greater Kailash[web:50][web:51][web:52].
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), still recovering from its crushing Assembly defeat, managed to hold onto 3 seats—Naraina (won by just 148 votes), Mundka, and Dakshin Puri. Significantly, the Indian National Congress finally broke its drought in Delhi's civic body by winning Sangam Vihar A through candidate Suresh Choudhary, defeating the BJP candidate by over 3,600 votes. In a surprise development, the All India Forward Bloc (AIFB) captured Chandni Mahal through Mohammad Imran—notably the brother-in-law of former AAP MLA Shoaib Iqbal, who contested after AAP denied him a ticket[web:53][web:56][web:61]. With these results, BJP's strength in the 250-member MCD House rises to 116 councillors, consolidating its majority position ahead of the 2027 full MCD elections[web:64][web:66].
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), still recovering from its crushing Assembly defeat, managed to hold onto 3 seats—Naraina (won by just 148 votes), Mundka, and Dakshin Puri. Significantly, the Indian National Congress finally broke its drought in Delhi's civic body by winning Sangam Vihar A through candidate Suresh Choudhary, defeating the BJP candidate by over 3,600 votes. In a surprise development, the All India Forward Bloc (AIFB) captured Chandni Mahal through Mohammad Imran—notably the brother-in-law of former AAP MLA Shoaib Iqbal, who contested after AAP denied him a ticket[web:53][web:56][web:61]. With these results, BJP's strength in the 250-member MCD House rises to 116 councillors, consolidating its majority position ahead of the 2027 full MCD elections[web:64][web:66].
Complete Ward-Wise Results: Winners & Margins
🏆 Full List of Winners – Delhi MCD Bypolls 2025
| Ward Name | Winner | Party | Margin | Previous Holder |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shalimar Bagh B | Anita Jain | BJP | 10,101 | BJP (CM Rekha Gupta) |
| Dwarka B | Manisha Devi | BJP | 9,100 | BJP (MP Kamaljeet Sehrawat) |
| Chandni Chowk | Suman Kumar Gupta | BJP | 1,182 | BJP |
| Greater Kailash | Anjum Mandal | BJP | Comfortable | BJP |
| Ashok Vihar | Veena Asija | BJP | 405 | BJP |
| Vinod Nagar | Sarla Choudhary | BJP | Comfortable | BJP |
| Dichaon Kalan | Rekha Rani | BJP | Comfortable | BJP |
| Naraina | Rajan Arora | AAP | 148 (Closest) | AAP |
| Mundka | Anil | AAP | Comfortable | AAP |
| Dakshin Puri | Ram Swaroop Kanojia | AAP | Comfortable | AAP |
| Sangam Vihar A | Suresh Choudhary | INC | 3,628 | BJP |
| Chandni Mahal | Mohammad Imran | AIFB | 4,692 | AAP |
Key Highlights & Statistical Breakdown
📊 Party-Wise Performance Summary
- BJP: Won 7 seats (retained 7 of 9 previously held seats); Lost 2 to Congress & AIFB
- AAP: Won 3 seats (retained all 3 previously held seats); No gains, no losses
- Congress: Won 1 seat (Sangam Vihar A); Opens account in MCD after years of drought
- AIFB: Won 1 seat (Chandni Mahal); Surprise win by former AAP MLA's brother-in-law
- Net Change: BJP -2, AAP unchanged, Congress +1, AIFB +1[web:50][web:52][web:53]
🗳️ Voter Turnout & Electoral Statistics
- Total Voter Turnout: 38.51% (significantly lower than 2022 MCD elections: 50.47%)
- Total Polling Booths: 580 booths across 12 wards
- Total Candidates: 51 candidates contested (including 26 women)
- Highest Turnout: Chandni Mahal – 55.93%
- Lowest Turnout: Greater Kailash – 26.76%
- Polling Date: November 30, 2025 (Sunday)
- Results Date: December 3, 2025 (Wednesday)
- Counting Centres: 10 centres at Kanjhawala, Pitampura, Bharat Nagar, Civil Lines, Rouse Avenue, Dwarka, Najafgarh, Gole Market, Pushp Vihar, Mandawali[web:50][web:53][web:61]
🏛️ Updated MCD House Composition (250 Members)
- BJP: 116 councillors (previously 115; +1 net after bypolls adjustment)
- AAP: 99 councillors (unchanged; retained all 3 seats)
- Indraprastha Vikas Party (IVP): 15 councillors (AAP defectors)
- Congress: 9 councillors (previously 8; +1 from Sangam Vihar win)
- AIFB/Others: ~11 councillors (including new Chandni Mahal win)
- Majority Mark: 126 councillors required for absolute majority
- BJP Position: 10 short of absolute majority; relies on IVP support[web:64][web:66][web:71]
Political Analysis: What These Results Mean
🔶 For BJP: Consolidation, Not Expansion
- Expectation vs Reality: BJP targeted 10-11 seats but won only 7; fell 2 short of retaining all 9 previous seats
- Key Retentions: Crucial wins in Shalimar Bagh B (CM's former seat) and Dwarka B (MP's seat) validate governance narrative
- Strong Margins: Shalimar Bagh B (10,101 votes) and Dwarka B (9,100 votes) show solid base in BJP strongholds
- Losses: Lost Sangam Vihar A to Congress and Chandni Mahal to AIFB—both significant symbolic losses
- Interpretation: BJP's "triple-engine" government pitch resonated in core areas but failed to expand; Congress/AIFB cutting into margins
- CM Rekha Gupta's Take: Called for voters to support BJP for "accelerating development"—results suggest partial mandate[web:53][web:65][web:68]
🟢 For AAP: Survival, But No Revival
- Defensive Success: Retained all 3 previously held seats (Naraina, Mundka, Dakshin Puri)—no losses
- Close Call: Naraina won by just 148 votes—closest margin in entire bypoll; could have easily lost
- No Expansion: Failed to gain any BJP seats despite "anti-incumbency" campaign narrative
- AAP Delhi Chief Saurabh Bharadwaj's Spin: "BJP came down from 9 to 7; AAP was at 3, stayed at 3. BJP is slipping"
- Reality Check: AAP's inability to gain ground suggests limited recovery from February Assembly debacle
- Kejriwal Absence: Former CM Arvind Kejriwal notably absent from bypoll campaign—BJP called it "silent acceptance of defeat"[web:56][web:68][web:70]
🔵 For Congress: Long-Awaited Breakthrough
- Historic Win: Sangam Vihar A victory marks Congress's first significant MCD win in years—opens account finally
- Strong Margin: Suresh Choudhary defeated BJP candidate by 3,628 votes (12,766 vs 9,138)—not a fluke
- Strategic Implication: Congress proving it can still win in Delhi; not completely irrelevant despite Assembly wipeout
- Delhi Congress President Devender Yadav: Alleged BJP "sitting silent on promises"—Sangam Vihar suggests message resonated
- MCD Strength: Congress now has 9 councillors (up from 8)—still distant fourth but showing signs of life[web:50][web:53][web:66]
🟡 For AIFB: Surprise Spoiler
- Unexpected Win: All India Forward Bloc's Mohammad Imran won Chandni Mahal by 4,692 votes—defeating AAP candidate
- AAP Connection: Imran is brother-in-law of former AAP MLA Shoaib Iqbal; contested after AAP denied him ticket
- Internal AAP Conflict: Win highlights AAP's ticket distribution problems; family loyalties trumped party loyalty
- Chandni Mahal Profile: Muslim-majority ward in Old Delhi; highest turnout (55.93%)—suggests religious/community dynamics
- Future Implication: Could AIFB emerge as alternative in Muslim-dominated areas where AAP and Congress compete?[web:50][web:52][web:56]
Why These Bypolls Were Held: Background
Vacancies & Electoral Context
- Reason for Bypolls: 12 MCD councillor seats fell vacant after 11 councillors were elected to Delhi Assembly and 1 councillor won Parliamentary election
- February 2025 Context: BJP swept Delhi Assembly elections, ending AAP's 10-year rule; many BJP councillors became MLAs
- Key Vacancies: Shalimar Bagh B (CM Rekha Gupta's former seat); Dwarka B (BJP MP Kamaljeet Sehrawat's seat)
- Original Distribution: 9 of 12 seats were BJP-held; 3 were AAP-held
- 2022 MCD Elections: AAP won 134 wards, BJP won 104 wards—AAP had majority initially
- AAP Defections (April 2025): 16 AAP councillors defected to form Indraprastha Vikas Party (IVP), shifting balance to BJP
- Current Reality: BJP governs both Delhi state (Assembly) and civic body (MCD)—"double-engine" advantage[web:54][web:58][web:66]
Security & Electoral Arrangements
🛡️ Security Deployment
- Delhi Police Personnel: ~1,800 deployed across 12 wards
- Paramilitary Forces: 10 companies of central paramilitary forces
- Counting Personnel: ~700 officials deployed for counting duty
- EVM Security: Strong rooms with round-the-clock CCTV surveillance
- Process: Secure entry/exit protocols at all counting centres[web:52][web:53][web:61]
⚠️ Political Allegations During Polling
- AAP Allegations: Saurabh Bharadwaj accused BJP of "foul play"; claimed police SHO campaigned for BJP in plain clothes
- BJP Counter: Accused AAP of "bogus voting"; claimed AAP issued "excuse-filled statements" after seeing police presence
- Election Commission Response: No formal action taken; polling described as "peaceful and smooth" by officials
- Post-Result Reality: Results suggest no overwhelming irregularities affected outcome significantly[web:70][web:74]
UPSC & Competitive Exams: Key Topics
UPSC Prelims (Expected Questions)
- How many wards does the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) have? (A) 200 (B) 225 (C) 250 (D) 272
- Which party won the maximum seats in the December 2025 MCD bypolls? (A) AAP (B) BJP (C) Congress (D) AIFB
- Who is the current Chief Minister of Delhi as of December 2025? (A) Arvind Kejriwal (B) Rekha Gupta (C) Atishi Marlena (D) Manish Sisodia
- The MCD bypolls were necessitated because councillors were elected to: (A) Lok Sabha only (B) Rajya Sabha only (C) Delhi Assembly and Parliament (D) State Legislative Council
UPSC Mains (Practice Topics)
- "Discuss the role of urban local bodies in India's federal structure with reference to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi." (15 marks)
- "Analyze the impact of political party defections on local body governance, with reference to the Indraprastha Vikas Party formation." (15 marks)
- "Examine the challenges of 'double-engine' or 'triple-engine' governance models in Indian federalism." (10 marks)
Banking & SSC Exams
- What was the voter turnout in the December 2025 MCD bypolls? (A) 28.51% (B) 38.51% (C) 48.51% (D) 50.47%
- Which ward recorded the highest voter turnout? (A) Greater Kailash (B) Chandni Mahal (C) Shalimar Bagh B (D) Dwarka B
- Congress won which ward in the MCD bypolls? (A) Naraina (B) Mundka (C) Sangam Vihar A (D) Chandni Chowk
- AIFB stands for: (A) All India Forward Bloc (B) All India Federal Board (C) Association of Indian Forward Bodies (D) None
📝 Key Takeaways for Students:
- ✓ MCD is one of India's largest municipal corporations with 250 wards
- ✓ Bypolls are held when elected representatives vacate seats for higher positions
- ✓ BJP currently governs both Delhi state government and MCD civic body
- ✓ 74th Constitutional Amendment (1992) governs urban local bodies in India
- ✓ Municipal elections are conducted by State Election Commission (not ECI)
- ✓ Party defections in local bodies follow Anti-Defection Law principles
- ✓ "Triple-engine" refers to same party in Centre, State, and Local body
What's Next: Road to 2027 MCD Elections
- ✓ BJP Strategy: Consolidate MCD control; target absolute majority (126+) through more defections or future bypolls
- ✓ AAP Challenge: Rebuild organization; address Kejriwal's legal issues; regain relevance before 2027
- ✓ Congress Opportunity: Build on Sangam Vihar win; target wards where BJP/AAP face anti-incumbency
- ✓ MCD Governance: BJP-led civic body must deliver on sanitation, garbage management, road repairs
- ✓ Mayoral Election: Next mayoral race will test BJP's coalition management with IVP support
- ✓ Financial Crisis: MCD faces ₹16,000 crore liability; no party has addressed this structural issue
- ✓ 2027 Full Elections: These bypolls provide early indicator of voter mood for full MCD polls
— End of Report —
Sources:
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- State Election Commission, Delhi – Official Results
- Indian Express, Hindustan Times, Times of India, NDTV, Business Standard, News18, India Today
- Economic Times, The Print, India TV News
- December 3, 2025
