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The formation of the next Delhi government is set to gain momentum as Prime Minister Narendra Modi returns to India today from his official visits to France and the United States, reported by NDTV. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which secured a decisive victory in the Delhi Assembly elections last week, is yet to finalize its Chief Ministerial candidate and cabinet lineup.
The crucial decisions, including who will replace Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi as Chief Minister and the composition of the new cabinet, are expected to be taken in a high-level meeting chaired by PM Modi. Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP President JP Nadda, and senior Delhi BJP leaders will participate in this meeting to finalize the leadership structure.
Once these decisions are confirmed, the first meeting of the legislature party is expected to take place on February 17 or 18, followed by the swearing-in ceremony on February 19 or 20. The BJP is planning a grand oath-taking event for the new Chief Minister, with all BJP-ruled state CMs and NDA alliance leaders expected to attend.
Ahead of this key discussion, BJP leadership has already shortlisted 15 potential candidates from its 48 MLAs. From this list, nine names will be selected for the posts of Chief Minister, cabinet ministers, and Assembly Speaker.
Since BJP’s resounding victory, speculation has been rife about the next Chief Minister. The frontrunner is Parvesh Verma, a two-time MP who defeated Arvind Kejriwal in the New Delhi constituency. Other possible contenders include Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva, Bansuri Swaraj (daughter of the late Sushma Swaraj), and Satish Upadhyay, a key Brahmin face in the party.
The BJP’s return to power in Delhi marks a dramatic turnaround after its past electoral struggles. In the February 5 election, the party won 48 out of 70 seats, a significant leap from previous polls where it had a combined tally of just 11 seats.
Meanwhile, AAP suffered a severe setback, managing only 22 seats, a sharp decline from its earlier dominance—67 seats in 2015 and 62 in 2020. According to NDTV, the party’s image was severely affected by allegations surrounding Arvind Kejriwal’s ‘sheeshmahal’ controversy and liquor excise policy scandal, leading to voter dissatisfaction.
The Congress, once a dominant force in Delhi, faced yet another electoral debacle, failing to win a single seat for the third consecutive time.
With BJP’s final decision on leadership imminent, all eyes are on Delhi as the capital prepares for a new political chapter under the saffron party’s rule.
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