NEW DELHI: After a historic victory in the Delhi Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is now gearing up for a major decision: who will become the next chief minister of Delhi? The party secured a commanding 48 seats out of 70, sweeping the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) aside and ending its decade-long rule in the capital.
As the speculation over the CM choice continues, the BJP is set to hold its Delhi legislative party meeting on Feburay 17 at 3pm at the Delhi BJP state office, as reported by ANI citing sources.
BJP’s return to power in Delhi after 27 years has raised anticipation over the leadership choice. While several names have been floated, sources suggest the party is likely to select a leader from among the winning MLAs to avoid the necessity of byelections.
Parvesh Verma has emerged as a strong contender following his victory over Arvind Kejriwal in the New Delhi constituency. The son of former chief minister Saheb Singh Verma, Parvesh has twice won the West Delhi Lok Sabha seat and is seen as a strong representative of the Jat community, which played a crucial role in the BJP’s electoral success.
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Vijender Gupta, the leader of the BJP in the outgoing Assembly, is also being considered. Gupta secured his third consecutive victory from Rohini and is seen as an experienced leader capable of leading the state government. Additionally, former Delhi BJP chiefs Satish Upadhyay and Virendra Sachdeva have been named as potential choices.
The BJP has a history of making unexpected choices for key leadership roles, often selecting lesser-known figures to introduce fresh perspectives. This has fuelled speculation that the party might opt for an unconventional pick. Some reports suggest the possibility of appointing two deputy chief ministers, a strategy previously used in states like uttar pradesh and madhya pradesh to ensure broad community representation.
Another name gaining traction is Bansuri Swaraj, the daughter of the late Sushma Swaraj. A prominent lawyer, she has been actively involved in BJP’s campaign efforts and secured a victory in the New Delhi constituency during the Lok Sabha elections.
Harish Khurana, son of former chief minister Madan Lal Khurana, is also in the running after securing a decisive win against AAP’s Shiv Charan Goel. Like Parvesh Verma, he carries strong political lineage and has been a dedicated party worker for years.
The recent election results marked a major setback for AAP, which had ruled Delhi for a decade. The BJP secured a two-thirds majority, winning 48 out of 70 seats, while AAP managed to win only 22. Arvind Kejriwal’s defeat in the New Delhi constituency by Parvesh Verma symbolised the party’s declining fortune, with key AAP leaders, including Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain, also losing their seats.