Delhi CM: Oath Likely After Modi’s US Return

Aakhir Tak – In Shorts

1. Delhi’s Chief Minister oath ceremony likely after February 13.
2. The ceremony will follow PM Modi’s visit to the United States.
3. BJP is currently deliberating on the Chief Ministerial candidate.
4. Parvesh Verma, Vijender Gupta, and Satish Upadhyay are key contenders.
5. BJP returns to power in Delhi after 27 years.

Aakhir Tak – In Depth

The swearing-in ceremony of the new Chief Minister of Delhi is likely to be held after February 13, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s US visit. The BJP is holding deliberations to find its leader to head the next government in the national capital. This marks a significant shift in Delhi’s political landscape after a long period of AAP governance.

According to sources, the oath-taking ceremony will take place after PM Modi’s US trip. The BJP returned to power in Delhi, ending its 27-year-long wait as it secured 48 seats in the 70-member Assembly. AAP, which has been ruling the city for a decade, managed to win 22 seats, while its key leaders, including party chief Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia, faced defeats. The election results underscore a changing political tide in Delhi.

The BJP, which approached the election without announcing a Chief Ministerial face, has started high-level meetings to decide the head of government, with five leaders emerging as key contenders. The selection process is now underway to determine who will lead the BJP in Delhi.

Parvesh Verma, who emerged as a giant killer by defeating Kejriwal in the New Delhi seat, leads the list of potential Chief Ministerial faces in Delhi. Vijender Gupta, a senior BJP leader who has served as the Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, Satish Upadhyay, a key Brahmin face who previously served as the state president, Ashish Sood, the general secretary of the Delhi BJP who enjoys close relations with central leaders, and Jitendra Mahajan, a strong RSS hand from the Vaishya community, are other contenders. The diverse backgrounds and experiences of these potential candidates highlight the complexity of the decision-making process.

PM Modi is scheduled to visit the United States on February 12-13 for his first meeting with US President Donald Trump in his second term. The party is expected to stake claim to power next week after the PM’s return from the foreign visit and the oath-taking is likely to be held afterwards, sources said. The timing of the oath-taking is contingent upon the Prime Minister’s schedule.

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said that the decision to pick the Chief Minister will be taken by the party’s central leadership, also suggesting the possibility of a fresh face coming to the top post. The party also did not rule out the possibility of its national leadership placing its bet on a woman candidate for the Delhi chief minister’s post. This statement indicates the potential for a surprise choice in the leadership selection.

On Saturday evening, the Prime Minister chaired a meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP national president JP Nadda, and other leaders at the party headquarters. However, it remains unclear whether they discussed the chief ministerial candidates and government formation. The discussions within the BJP leadership are closely guarded, leaving room for speculation.

Aakhir Tak – Key Takeaways to Remember

Delhi CM oath after Modi return. BJP deliberating. Verma a contender. BJP returns after 27 years.

Aakhir Tak Editor-in-Chief

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