New Delhi: Barely 14 months after its formation, Indraprastha Vikas Party (IVP) is expected to merge with BJP, with 16 of its councillors expected to join the saffron party that governs Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).Sources indicate discussions regarding the merger have taken place at the senior level and an agreement has been reached between the two sides. A formal announcement is likely at any time. As part of the arrangement, IVP councillors may be nominated as members of zonal committees and the standing committee of the corporation.The move comes prior to the elections for chairmen and deputy chairmen in 12 MCD zones as well as six standing committee members this month.Within three months after AAP suffered a defeat in Delhi assembly polls in Feb 2025, it faced a further setback when 16 of its councillors split and formed IVP. The move disrupted elections to ward committees and the standing committee.After losing the mayoral post, AAP also lost its majority in the standing committee. Since then, IVP, headed by six-time councillor Mukesh Goyal, has been indirectly supporting BJP in the municipal House, though differences of opinion between the two parties have surfaced on several issues.Of the total 250 councillors in MCD, BJP has 123 and AAP 100. Apart from IVP’s 16, Congress has nine councillors, Forward Bloc one, while a seat is vacant. After the likely merger, BJP will have 139 councillors, giving the party a clear majority in the House.
