The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has called a meeting of its Delhi legislature party on Wednesday to select a new chief minister, just days after returning to power after 27 years, according to people familiar with the matter. The BJP won 48 seats in the 70-member House, while the Aam Aadmi Party received 22.
“…MLAs [members of the legislative assembly] will discuss the name of the new chief minister [at the meeting] and make a decision. The name of the BJP legislative party’s leader will be announced following the meeting. “The leader will become the new chief minister,” said a BJP leader.
The legislature party leader and lawmakers will meet with the lieutenant governor to stake their claim to form the new government before Thursday’s swearing-in ceremony at Ramlila Maidan.
The BJP has yet to appoint observers for talks with newly elected party lawmakers as part of the process of naming the chief minister. Before naming the chief minister, observers representing the central leadership will meet with the 48 lawmakers and solicit feedback. “Observers may be appointed prior to the legislature party meeting to speak with MLAs,” said a second BJP leader.
Parvesh Verma, who defeated former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Rekha Gupta, Vijender Gupta, Satish Upadhyay, Ashish Sood, Pawan Sharma, and Ajay Mahawar were among the leading candidates for the position of Chief Minister.
According to BJP leaders, the new Cabinet will likely include representatives from the Jat, Dalit, Purvanchali, Sikh, Uttarakhandi, and Bania communities. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief ministers from BJP-ruled states will attend the swearing-in ceremony.
