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With the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sweeping the recent Delhi Assembly elections and ousting the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), speculation is rife about who will take the top seat in the capital. Several names are being discussed, but the final decision remains pending.
Over the weekend, political movements intensified. On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a closed door meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah to discuss potential candidates for the Chief Minister’s post. Meanwhile, BJP National President J. P. Nadda consulted with the party’s seven MPs from Delhi on the matter. Here are some important developments, points, and possibilities:
- According to an India Today report, the new Delhi Chief Minister is likely to be sworn in after Thursday, 13 February, following Modi’s return from his US visit.
- On Sunday, Shah and Nadda held discussions on possible candidates for the top post.
- Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva confirmed that the decision would be made by the party’s high command.
Who are the top contenders?
- Parvesh Verma – The son of former Delhi Chief Minister Sahib Singh Verma is a frontrunner. He defeated Arvind Kejriwal in the prestigious New Delhi Assembly constituency. An experienced politician, he has twice represented the West Delhi constituency in the Lok Sabha. In the 2019 general elections, he secured 8,65,648 votes, winning with a 60.05% vote share.
- Ashish Sood – Elected from the Janakpuri Assembly seat, Sood has governance experience from his tenure with the South Delhi Municipal Corporation.
- Pawan Sharma – Winning from Uttam Nagar constituency, his name has also been floated for the top post.
- Vijender Gupta – The Rohini MLA and former Leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Assembly is another strong contender.
- Shikha Roy – A lawyer and first time MLA from Greater Kailash, she defeated AAP heavyweight Saurabh Bharadwaj.
- Rekha Gupta – The Shalimar Bagh MLA is being considered, making her a possible female Chief Minister.
- Satish Upadhyay – The former Delhi BJP President won from Malviya Nagar, defeating AAP’s Somnath Bharti.
- Manjinder Singh Sirsa – The Rajouri Garden MLA is a key Sikh face in Delhi’s BJP.
Initially, Manoj Tiwari was seen as a potential choice due to his popularity as a singer turned politician. However, experts believe BJP may not risk a by-election for his parliamentary seat in North East Delhi. Similar doubts exist about Bansuri Swaraj, daughter of late Sushma Swaraj, as she represents New Delhi in the Lok Sabha.
BJP has often surprised observers with unexpected Chief Ministerial choices in states like Madhya Pradesh and Haryana. A similar move in Delhi cannot be ruled out.
There is also speculation that BJP may appoint one or more Deputy Chief Ministers to balance power among factions. This could help accommodate various leaders while maintaining central control.
Beyond merit and governance ability, caste equations may play a role in the decision. BJP has appointed tribal leaders as Chief Ministers in states like Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan. A similar social consideration could influence the selection in Delhi.
Will BJP go with a surprise pick, or will one of the frontrunners take charge? The decision is expected soon.
