New Delhi, Feb. 17 -- After a resounding victory in the Delhi Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to form its government in the national capital. The newly elected Chief Minister of Delhi will most likely take the oath of office on February 20 at 4:30 pm. The ceremony is expected to follow a pivotal legislative meeting of the BJP's 48 winning legislators, where key leadership decisions will be made.

The BJP secured 48 seats in the 70-member Delhi Assembly, marking a strong comeback to power after 27 years. In contrast, the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) could manage only 22 seats, with prominent leaders such as Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, and Saurabh Bharadwaj losing their constituencies.

Since the BJP did not announce a Chief Ministerial candidate before the elections, intense discussions have been ongoing within the party to finalise the leader. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's return from his foreign trip has been a key turning point in these deliberations, with the party now focusing on finalising the leadership ahead of the swearing-in ceremony.

Parvesh Verma, the BJP candidate who defeated AAP's Arvind Kejriwal in the highly contested New Delhi constituency, is considered the frontrunner for the position of Chief Minister. Verma's name has dominated discussions within the party.

Other names circulating as potential Chief Minister candidates include Vijender Gupta, the former Delhi BJP chief, and Satish Upadhyay, a senior leader with strong support from Delhi's Brahmin community. Ashish Sood, the General Secretary of Delhi BJP, and Jitendra Mahajan, who has solid connections within the RSS, are also being considered for the role.

The BJP is expected to convene a meeting of its newly elected legislators on February 19 to select the leader of the House. The final announcement of the Chief Minister and the rest of the cabinet will follow shortly after. The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled to take place at Ramlila Maidan, a well-known venue in Delhi.

The upcoming oath-taking ceremony will be a grand affair, with over 200 political leaders in attendance. BJP MPs, Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled states, and senior party officials are expected to grace the occasion. The grand event marks the formal return of the BJP to power in Delhi after a long gap, bringing a new chapter in the city's political landscape.

The BJP is finalizing a list of 15 potential candidates for key positions in the new government. Nine names will be selected for prominent roles, including Chief Minister, Cabinet Ministers, and the Speaker of the Delhi Assembly. Parvesh Verma, owing to his prominent victory and party standing, is widely believed to be the likely candidate for Chief Minister.

In the aftermath of the February 5 election, the BJP's victory represents a significant shift in Delhi politics, as the party has successfully outmanoeuvred AAP's dominance.

As the date approaches, anticipation builds around who will lead the newly formed Delhi government. The upcoming leadership decisions will have a lasting impact on both the political landscape of Delhi and the larger trajectory of the BJP in the region.

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