New Delhi, Feb. 13 -- The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to finalise its choice for Delhi's new Chief Minister following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's return from his overseas visit, party sources said. The decision comes after the

BJP's victory over the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the recently concluded Delhi Assembly elections.

Discussions within the party indicate that Delhi will not have a deputy chief minister, breaking from a pattern seen in states like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh, where the BJP has appointed deputy CMs. A senior BJP leader said that the party's leadership has been weighing its options carefully, with a final announcement expected soon. "The party is considering its best choice from among the elected MLAs, and a final decision will be taken after PM Modi's return," the leader said. Modi is currently in the United States as part of his four-day diplomatic tour, which includes visits to France and North America.

The BJP's Legislative Party is expected to convene a crucial meeting on Sunday to select Delhi's next Chief Minister. The meeting will be attended by all 48 newly elected

BJP MLAs and will be overseen by two senior leaders from the party's national leadership. Besides finalising the

Chief Minister, the meeting will also discuss Cabinet appointments.

The BJP's victory on February 5 marked its return to power in Delhi after 26 years, securing 48 out of 70 seats in the Assembly. The defeat was a significant setback for AAP, which had dominated Delhi's political landscape since 2015.

During the outgoing AAP government, Arvind Kejriwal led the administration, with Manish Sisodia serving as Deputy CM for several years before his resignation following his arrest in the alleged excise policy scam case.

The new Chief Minister will be tasked with shaping BJP's governance strategy in Delhi, addressing key challenges such as pollution, infrastructure, and public services. With the absence of a deputy CM, the leader will have a more consolidated authority within the administration.

As the BJP gears up to announce its leadership pick, all eyes are on the upcoming Legislative Party meeting that will determine the next

face of governance in the national Capital.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.