In a development helping the BJP achieve a majority in MCD, the Indraprastha Vikas Party (IVP) with 16 Municipal Councillors formally merged with the ruling party on Friday in the presence of Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and the party’s city unit president Harsh Malhotra.
With the merger of all 16 IVP councillors under the leadership of Mukesh Goyal, the strength of the ruling BJP in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) rose to 139 in the 250-councillor House.Welcoming the 16 councillors into the BJP fold, Chief Minister Gupta said, “I assure all the councillors and the workers who have joined the BJP that they will receive full respect within the BJP family and every opportunity to serve."
She assured the residents of their wards that they would now fully benefit from the development initiatives of Delhi's "triple-engine government".Delhi BJP chief Harsh Malhotra said, "The merger of the IVP with the BJP has been inspired by the desire of its 16 councillors to connect the people of their wards with the all-round development being carried out by the Rekha Gupta government under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I welcome everyone into the BJP family.”
In 2025, 16 Municipal Councillors, after parting ways with the Aam Aadmi Party, formed the Indraprastha Vikas Party (IVP) under the leadership of Goyal.On Thursday evening, Goyal formally requested Malhotra and Chief Minister Gupta to allow the merger of their IVP with the BJP, said a Delhi BJP statement.
With the approval of the party's top leadership, Malhotra and the Chief Minister on Friday announced the merger of the IVP with the BJP at a press conference held in the presence of Goyal and his party’s councillors.The press conference was attended by Delhi Mayor Pravesh Wahi, Leader of the House in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi Jaibhagwan Yadav, and Delhi BJP General Secretary Vishnu Mittal.
Delhi BJP Media Head Praveen Shankar Kapoor stated that many of the councillors joining the BJP under Goyal's leadership possess extensive experience, which will prove valuable for the functioning of the Municipal Corporation.Delhi BJP chief Malhotra said the merger would directly connect nearly 1.1 to 1.2 million residents across 16 municipal wards with the BJP government's comprehensive development initiatives.
He said the merger had been motivated by the determination of the 16 councillors to connect the people of their respective wards with the development agenda of the Rekha Gupta government under the leadership of PM Modi.Chief Minister Rekha Gupta assured all the councillors and the workers accompanying the 16 councillors that they would receive due respect in the BJP family and every opportunity to contribute meaningfully.