Delhi Mayor Polls: AAP Narrowly Escapes Defeat, Secures Victory By Slim Margin

AAP Delhi Mayor Candidate Mahesh Kumar Khichi along with former Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi, party MP Sanjay Singh and party leaders show victory signs as they celebrate the party's win in the MCD Mayor elections. (Photo: ANI)

Delhi Mayor Polls: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Mahesh Kumar Khichi was elected as Delhi's new mayor on Thursday, and said cleanliness of the national capital will be his priority.
Khichi, the AAP councillor from Karol Bagh's Dev Nagar ward, defeated BJP's Kishan Lal (Shakurpur ward) by a narrow margin of three votes. Out of total 265 votes, Khichi got 133 and Lal secured 130 while 2 votes were declared invalid.

Khichi succeeded AAP's Shelly Oberoi who assumed the office in 2023. "The challenge is to work in the service of the people of Delhi - the way Arvind Kejriwal has done the work for the people of Delhi... My priority will be to work for the cleanliness of the city," Khinchi told media after his win.

Voting took place to elect a new mayor on Thursday afternoon. Earlier, BJP councillor and former East Delhi mayor Satya Sharma was reappointed as the presiding officer by Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Wednesday. Security was tightened at the Civic Centre building ahead of polls.

The AAP took control of the MCD in December 2022, ending the BJP's 15-year rule.