Overview

• Bobby Kinnar, Delhi’s first transgender councillor, resigned from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and joined the newly-formed Indraprastha Vikas Party (IVP), becoming the 16th defector from AAP.
• The IVP was launched on May 17 by 15 former AAP councillors, who cited dissatisfaction with AAP’s leadership and failure to deliver on civic development promises.
• With Kinnar’s defection, AAP’s strength in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi has dropped to 97 seats, while BJP now holds a majority with 117 seats, and IVP has 16.
• Kinnar and other defectors criticized AAP for its lack of internal coordination and non-functional governance, claiming these issues hindered their ability to serve their constituencies effectively.
• The defections come ahead of the critical June 2–3 zonal ward committee and standing committee elections, which will determine control over civic project financing in Delhi.