Early trends from the Delhi MCD by-elections across 12 wards indicate a surprising shift in the political landscape. While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has secured two seats so far, the results have not been as dominant as the party expected. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has won one seat and is leading on multiple others. The biggest development, however, is the Congress winning the Sangam Vihar ward—its first victory on these seats since the 2022 MCD elections, where it failed to secure even a single ward. Out of the 12 wards that went to by-polls, 11 were vacated after councillors became MLAs, and one after a councillor became an MP. In 2022, the breakdown had been nine seats for BJP and three for AAP, with Congress drawing a blank. Today’s results suggest BJP’s previous stronghold may be weakening, as early leads show AAP ahead on several seats and even a smaller party, AIFB, securing a lead on one ward. Despite heavy campaigning by senior BJP leaders and visible presence in the wards, local sentiments appear to have shifted toward performance-based voting. With counting still underway, the final picture may further reshape Delhi’s municipal power balance.

