New Delhi: After an emphatic victory in the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is upbeat about forming its government in Delhi after a long wait of 27 years. Discussions are on to choose the next chief minister in the national capital. From 1993 to 1998, Delhi saw three different Chief Ministers. It was in 1998 that Sushma Swaraj was made the CM of Delhi and was also the last Delhi CM from the BJP.
Even as BJP campaigned for the Delhi polls, it didn’t project anyone from the party as the CM face. It has been declared that the CM will be announced after Prime Minister Narendra Modi returns from his US trip. Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva has also said that the decision on elhi CM will be taken by the party’s central leadership. Soon after AAP’s Atishi tendered her resignation on Sunday, a BJP delegation, comprising the winning candidates, met Lieutenant Governor (L-G) VK Saxena. Amid different speculations, the question doing the rounds is: Who will be the next CM of Delhi?
Key factors
Various factors are being taken into account by the BJP while choosing Delhi chief minister. Reports suggest that caste could be a big factor that may sway the decision, which is set to be finalised this week with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) suggestions, which is keeping in mind several factors. The BJP will brainstorm on the decision after RSS inputs. Discussions are on about choosing the new CM on the basis of support from different castes and communities. Apparently, the communities that played a huge role in BJP’s Delhi win included Jats, Brahmins, and Punjabis, and of course, women. BJP will keep them in mind while selecting the CM, sources said.
In addition to the Chief Minister, it is expected that the party will finalise the Speaker of the Delhi Assembly, and seven cabinet ministers.
Female legislator could be CM: Sources
Sources have revealed that the next Chief Minister of Delhi will be selected from among the current legislators, reflecting the party’s intention to choose a leader from within its own ranks. The BJP may also consider a female legislator as a possible CM candidate, while increasing gender representation in top leadership posts.
The party will also try to factor in social engineering. Discussions are on to appoint a Deputy CM for smooth functioning of the governance. Besides, sources also said that the cabinet may have strong representation of women and Dalits. This could be done to ensure inclusivity, and address the concerns of diverse communities.
Jat leader as the next Delhi CM?
It will be the first time in decades that all three key NCR states — Haryana, UP and Delhi — will have a BJP Chief Minister. Prime Minister Modi also highlighted this rare feat in his victory speech on the day the results of Delhi Assembly elections were announced.
In Haryana, the BJP has an OBC face, while in UP, it has a Thakur face and in a Brahmin face in Rajasthan. The choice of Delhi’s Chief Minister is expected to reflect the party’s effort to balance caste considerations. According to some reports, a Jat leader could be chosen as the next CM of Delhi.
Some sources said that it is expected that BJP will appoint two observers for the process of choosing Delhi’s Chief Minister, following a meeting of its 11-member Parliamentary Board chaired by National President JP Nadda this week.
List of top contenders
The potential candidates for the CM’s post are Parvesh Verma, a Jat leader who won against former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the New Delhi seat. Besides, North-East Delhi MP Manoj Tiwari, a key Purvanchali leader, is also being considered. Shikha Roy, a Thakur who emerged victorious in the Greater Kailash constituency by defeating AAP’s Saurabh Bharadwaj, and Bansuri Swaraj are two women who are also in the list of top contenders. Another name that has emerged is Satish Upadhyay, a Brahmin, who won against Somnath Bharti from Malviya Nagar.
