Twelve days after the Delhi Assembly election results, the new Chief Minister will take the oath at Ramlila Maidan on February 20. However, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has not yet announced its Chief Ministerial candidate. The party has scheduled a meeting of its legislative assembly members on February 19, during which the CM’s name will be finalized.
Delay in the Swearing-in Ceremony
Initially, reports suggested that the meeting of the legislative party would be held on February 17, followed by the swearing-in ceremony on February 18. However, the event was postponed by two days without any official explanation.
Grand Ceremony at Ramlila Maidan
According to BJP sources, the swearing-in ceremony will take place at Ramlila Maidan and will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Ministers, Chief Ministers, and Deputy CMs from 20 BJP and NDA-ruled states. Additionally, business leaders, film stars, cricket players, spiritual leaders, and diplomats will also be present. Around 12,000 to 16,000 Delhi residents are expected to attend. BJP General Secretaries Vinod Tawde and Tarun Chugh have been appointed as in-charge of the event arrangements.
Criticism from the Opposition
Former Delhi Chief Minister Atishi criticized BJP for the delay, stating, “The public expected the CM announcement on February 9, followed by the swearing-in on February 10, so that work could commence from February 11. However, BJP is continuously postponing the date, indicating that they lack a clear CM candidate.”
Top Contenders for Chief Minister
BJP is known for making unexpected choices for key positions. While several names have been speculated, six candidates are reportedly leading the race for Delhi’s top position. The party has shortlisted nine names from an initial list of 15, from which the CM, cabinet ministers, and the speaker will be chosen.
Delhi’s cabinet can have a maximum of seven ministers, including the Chief Minister. There are speculations that BJP may select one MLA from each of the city’s seven Lok Sabha constituencies while also considering caste and regional factors for upcoming elections in Bihar and Punjab.
The Six Leading CM Candidates:
- Ravindra Indraraj Singh
- First-time MLA from the Punjabi Dalit community, which is referred to as “Mazhabi Sikhs” in Punjab.
- With no Dalit CM in any state currently, BJP may appoint Singh to strengthen its Dalit outreach.
- BJP has struggled to secure Dalit votes, evident from the recent Lok Sabha elections.
- Home Minister Amit Shah previously criticized AAP’s unfulfilled promise of appointing a Dalit CM, making Singh a strong candidate.
- Shikha Rai
- Twice elected as a municipal councilor from Greater Kailash-1.
- Defeated AAP leader and cabinet minister Saurabh Bharadwaj by nearly 3,000 votes.
- A lawyer by profession, she has held leadership roles within BJP’s women’s wing.
- BJP currently has no female CMs in any NDA-ruled states, making her a potential pick.
- Parvesh Verma
- Son of former Delhi CM Sahib Singh Verma and a prominent Jat leader.
- Defeated former CM Arvind Kejriwal in New Delhi constituency.
- Served two terms as an MP from West Delhi, winning with the largest margin in Delhi’s history in 2019.
- Appointing a Jat CM could help BJP in Haryana, where non-Jat leadership has caused tensions.
- Vijender Gupta
- Three-time MLA and a veteran leader with a background in student politics.
- Former Delhi BJP president and opposition leader in the assembly.
- Represents the influential Vaishya community and has strong ties with BJP’s organizational structure and RSS.
- Rajkumar Bhatia
- Delhi BJP Vice President with strong ties to RSS and organizational networks.
- Played a crucial role in BJP’s outreach among slum dwellers.
- Jitendra Mahajan
- Three-time MLA who started his political journey with the ABVP.
- Known for his simple lifestyle, often seen traveling on a scooter instead of luxury cars.
- Belongs to the Punjabi Vaishya community and has long-standing RSS connections.
Potential Ministers
With BJP and NDA now ruling 21 states, the party has regained its 2018 political dominance. The AAP, which had previously won over 60 seats in Delhi’s assembly, was reduced to just 22 this time. The Congress party, meanwhile, failed to win a single seat for the third consecutive election.
Since Narendra Modi’s re-election as Prime Minister for a third term, BJP and NDA have won elections in five out of eight states, including Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha, Haryana, and Maharashtra.
The BJP-led alliance’s recent successes indicate a strong political resurgence. However, all eyes are now on the upcoming Delhi CM announcement, which will set the tone for the party’s future strategies in the capital and beyond.
