BJP's Raja Iqbal Singh elected as Delhi's new Mayor. Who is he? (WATCH)

BJP candidate Raja Iqbal Singh has been elected as Delhi's new Mayor.

BJP leader Raja Iqbal Singh has been elected the new mayor of Delhi, winning against his Congress opponent's eight. Iqbal won 133 votes out of total 142 in favour. Jai Bhagwan was elected Deputy Mayor in MCD. Congress candidates got 8 votes while 1 vote was declared invalid.

The AAP, Delhi’s ruling party until 2025, had decided to boycott the elections, accusing the BJP of “unethical tactics” to sway votes.

Raja Iqbal Singh previously served as mayor in the north corporation and is currently the leader of the opposition, along with Yadav, who serves as deputy leader of the opposition.

Who is Raja Iqbal Singh? Political journey and party switch

Singh initially represented GTB Nagar as an Akali Dal councillor and headed the Civil Lines zone in the North Delhi Municipal Corporation until September 2020. When the Akali Dal withdrew from the NDA alliance opposing farm reforms, Singh declined to step down as councillor, eventually aligning with the BJP. By mid-2021, he was appointed mayor of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation.

Analysts note Singh’s deep-rooted connections to Akali Dal politics—his father-in-law once served as a GTB Nagar councillor, and his brother-in-law remains active in the party—could help attract former Akali supporters to the BJP. With the Akali Dal’s Delhi presence waning and leaders defecting, Singh’s shift solidified his position within the BJP.

Singh, often described as a reserved yet decisive figure, faces the task of maintaining the BJP’s hold amid scrutiny over his administrative decisions.

A defining moment in Singh’s career emerged in April 2022, when the NDMC, under his leadership, carried out a demolition drive in Jahangirpuri. The action followed communal violence during Hanuman Jayanti celebrations, which resulted in 20 arrests and NSA charges against five individuals. 

Authorities cited illegal constructions as the reason for targeting structures primarily owned by Muslim residents. Singh later emphasized the drive was procedural, not communal, aligning with municipal policies.