The swearing-in ceremony for Delhi’s new Chief Minister is expected to take place after Prime Minister Narendra Modi returns from his visit to the United States on February 12-13, media reports revealed.
With the BJP now poised to form the next government, party leaders have been meeting behind closed doors to decide on the new Chief Minister. Interestingly, the BJP had campaigned without announcing a clear Chief Ministerial candidate, but a handful of senior leaders have now emerged as key contenders.
Parvesh Verma, who caused a major upset by defeating Kejriwal in the New Delhi constituency, is widely considered a front-runner. Other notable figures include Vijender Gupta, a former Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly; Satish Upadhyay, a Brahmin leader who served as the state president; Ashish Sood, the Delhi BJP’s general secretary; and Jitendra Mahajan, an RSS-backed leader from the Vaishya community.
Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva indicated that the final decision on the Chief Minister would be made by the party’s central leadership. The possibility of selecting a woman candidate for the top post has not been ruled out.
The BJP is also expected to invite top leaders from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and Chief Ministers from other BJP-ruled states to attend the swearing-in ceremony, which is anticipated to be a grand occasion celebrating the party's electoral triumph.
While the meeting’s discussions remain under wraps, the final choice for the Chief Minister’s position will reportedly be announced shortly after PM Modi’s return from the United States.
PM Modi’s visit is set to be a key diplomatic event, focused on strengthening the bilateral relationship between India and the United States. According to Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, the trip will involve important discussions on matters of mutual interest and cooperation.
With the Prime Minister’s schedule in mind, the BJP is expected to finalise its government formation plans after Modi’s return, meaning the official oath-taking ceremony may not take place before February 15. The delay will allow for the Prime Minister’s crucial diplomatic engagements in Washington DC, marking his first meeting with US President Donald Trump since Trump began his second term in office.
