By The Sampadak Express
The swearing-in ceremony of Delhi’s new Chief Minister is expected to take place after February 13, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United States, sources confirmed on Sunday. The BJP, which emerged victorious in Delhi after a 27-year wait, is currently deliberating on selecting a leader to head the government in the national capital.
The BJP secured 48 seats in the 79-member Delhi Assembly in the recent elections, while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which had been in power for a decade, won 22 seats. AAP leaders, including Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia, suffered defeats in the elections.
Although the BJP entered the race without naming a Chief Ministerial candidate, high-level discussions have begun within the party to determine the leader of the government. Currently, five leaders are considered strong contenders for the top position.
Parvesh Verma, who made a significant impact by defeating AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal in New Delhi, is at the forefront of the list of potential Chief Ministers. Other prominent candidates include Vijender Gupta, a senior leader who served as the Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly; Satish Upadhyay, a key Brahmin face and former state president; Ashish Sood, the Delhi BJP general secretary with close ties to central leadership; and Jitendra Mahajan, a strong RSS member from the Vaishya community.
Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to visit the United States from February 12 to 13 for his first meeting with US President Joe Biden. The swearing-in ceremony is likely to be held after his return, according to sources.
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva emphasized that the final decision on the Chief Ministerial candidate will be made by the party’s central leadership. He also hinted that the BJP may consider a fresh face for the post, including a potential woman candidate for the role.
On Saturday evening, Prime Minister Modi chaired a meeting at the BJP headquarters with Home Minister Amit Shah, party president JP Nadda, and other senior leaders. However, it remains unclear whether the Chief Ministerial candidates and government formation were discussed during this meeting.
