Major Blow to AAP: 15 Delhi Councillors Break Away, Launch ‘Indraprastha Vikas Party’ Led by Hemchand Goel

In a significant political development in Delhi, fifteen municipal councillors have stepped down from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and announced the formation of a new political front — the Indraprastha Vikas Party. Spearheaded by Hemchand Goel, the move is being seen as a serious setback for AAP, particularly with the departure of senior leader Mukesh Goel, who previously served as the Leader of the House in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).

At a press conference, the rebel councillors expressed frustration over the lack of progress in civic governance under AAP. “For the past one to two years, we have been unable to carry out public work due to continuous disruptions. The House never functions properly,” Mukesh Goel said. He hinted that more councillors may soon join their new party.

Alongside Mukesh Goel, the group includes notable former AAP members such as Himani Jain, Devindra Kumar, Rajesh Kumar Ladi, Suman Anil Rana, Dinesh Bhardwaj, Runakshi Sharma, Manisha, Sahib Kumar, Rakhi Yadav, Usha Sharma, and Ashok Pandey. Two councillors, however, were absent during the announcement and were not listed in the official resignation letter.

In their joint letter, the councillors emphasized that although they were elected on AAP tickets in the 2022 MCD elections, they were unable to deliver on promises due to weak coordination between the party’s top leadership and its councillors. “The leadership failed to run the MCD effectively. This disconnect pushed the party into opposition and left us helpless in serving the people,” the letter stated.

This revolt marks the latest in a series of blows to AAP within the MCD. Just earlier this year, three councillors — Anita Basoya, Nikhil Chaprana, and Dharmveer Singh — defected to the BJP. A similar switch occurred last September ahead of a key standing committee election.

With defections mounting, AAP recently chose to withdraw from the April 25 mayoral race, effectively giving the BJP an open path to take control of the civic body.

The launch of the Indraprastha Vikas Party signals a new political chapter in Delhi’s local governance — and a serious test of strength for AAP ahead of future elections.

News Source : Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.