The identity of Delhi’s next Chief Minister remains unknown as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which secured a decisive 48-22 victory over the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the recent election, has yet to announce its pick. According to sources cited by NDTV, the swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for 4:30 pm on Thursday.
The exact venue has not been officially confirmed, but it is likely to be held at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in the city.
On Wednesday, the 48 newly-elected BJP MLAs are expected to convene to elect their leader, who will then be appointed as Delhi’s new Chief Minister, replacing AAP’s Atishi.
BJP’s Decision Delayed Until PM Modi’s Return
BJP sources informed NDTV last week that the exercise to constitute the new Delhi government had been put on hold till Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned from his trip to France and the United States.
Since the BJP’s victory, a decision on its first Chief Minister in almost three decades has been in the balance. With the Prime Minister now back in India, he is likely to take inputs from Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP President JP Nadda, and other top leaders before making the announcement.
BJP Plans Grand Swearing-in Ceremony
Irrespective of the ultimate decision, BJP is ready for a grand swearing-in ceremony. More than 200 existing and past BJP MPs, BJP-ruled state Chief Ministers and allied party Chief Ministers, prominent state leaders, and party activists are to be invited.
Sources say that a list of 15 names has been shortlisted, and from it, the Chief Minister, cabinet ministers, and Speaker of the Assembly will be chosen. Nine are likely to be finalized, meaning Delhi will have eight ministers at first.
Potential Candidates for Delhi CM
The strongest contender for the Chief Minister’s post is two-time former MP Parvesh Verma, who won a big battle against AAP leader and former CM Arvind Kejriwal in the New Delhi constituency.
Other prominent contenders are BJP’s Delhi unit president Virendra Sachdeva, first-time MP Bansuri Swaraj—daughter of late Union Minister Sushma Swaraj—and Satish Upadhyay, who is BJP’s solid Brahmin face in Delhi.
BJP’s Triumph and AAP’s Disappointment
The BJP registered a spectacular return to Delhi following its Feb. 5 landslide victory, winning 48 of 70 seats—a gigantic jump from the 11 seats it had collectively won in the previous two elections.
AAP, which was seeking a third straight term, fought under intense scrutiny for various controversies such as the ‘Sheeshmahal’ and liquor excise policy scandals. This resulted in its base eroding drastically to just 22 seats—a far cry from the 67 and 62 seats it had secured in 2015 and 2020, respectively.
The Congress, however, experienced a total wipeout, managing to secure zero seats for the third successive Delhi election.
