The swearing-in ceremony for the next Chief Minister of India’s capital, Delhi, is likely to take place after Prime Minister Narendra Modi returns from his U.S. tour. On Sunday (February 9), BJP sources confirmed that Modi will be traveling to the United States this week. However, the BJP leadership has yet to announce the name of the next Chief Minister of Delhi. According to Indian media outlet NDTV, newly elected Delhi MLA Parvesh Verma is being considered the frontrunner for the position.
Parvesh Verma created a major political upset in this election by defeating Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and outgoing Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by 4,099 votes.
He is the son of former Delhi Chief Minister Sahib Singh Verma and has previously served as a Member of Parliament from West Delhi for two consecutive terms. However, he was denied a party ticket in last year’s parliamentary elections. Additionally, Parvesh Verma has been accused of delivering hate speeches and inciting communal tensions at various times due to his strong Hindutva stance.
After BJP’s victory in Delhi, Parvesh Verma stated, “The party leadership will decide who will be the next Chief Minister of Delhi.”
He added, “This is not just my victory; it is the victory of the people of Delhi. I am grateful to every voter who placed their trust in me.”
He also promised, “Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and BJP President JP Nadda, we will work tirelessly to bring real change to Delhi.”
Sources claim that the swearing-in ceremony will be a grand event, marking BJP’s return to power in Delhi after 26 years. Chief Ministers from all BJP-led NDA-ruled states will be invited to the ceremony.
Meanwhile, Amit Shah is expected to meet JP Nadda to discuss government formation in Delhi. Additionally, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva will hold a meeting in the evening with all 48 newly elected MLAs.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his gratitude to the voters of Delhi.