New Delhi: After decimating the AAP in Delhi, the BJP on Sunday began its exercise of zeroing in on its chief ministerial candidate and the names of legislators for ministerial berths. A meeting of newly- elected BJP legislators was also held in the evening. The swearing-in-ceremony is expected to take place after Prime Minister Narendra Modi returns from his visit to the United States on February 14.
While Parvesh Verma, a Jat leader, who defeated AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal, is leading the race for the top post, the other contenders are Satish Upadhyay, Vijender Gupta, Ashish Sood and Pawan Sharma.
Speculation continues in saffron corridor about bringing in a woman for the chief minister’s post. The names of two BJP legislators, Shikha Roy and Rekha Gupta, are reportedly being considered for the coveted post. There were also rumours that two BJP MPs, Mr Manoj Tiwari and Union minister Harsh Malhotra, could also be considered. The exercise to pick the chief minister gathered momentum as party president J.P. Nadda met home minister Amit Shah earlier in the day.
Meanwhile, Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva along with party general secretary (organisation) B.L. Santosh held a separate meeting with the 48 newly-elected MLAs. The Delhi BJP chief along with the newly-elected MLAs is also expected to call on lieutenant-governor V.K. Saxena. When asked about the probable candidate for chief minister, Mr Sachdeva stuck to the party line, saying “all newly-elected MLAs are capable of discharging the duties assigned to them”.
Sources said after this electoral victory, the BJP has now set its sights on the coming mayoral elections, due in April this year. A win in the mayoral polls could give the BJP a “triple engine sarkar” in Delhi. An exercise to take control of the MCD has already been set in motion, a BJP leader said. After taking charge, at the top of the BJP’s agenda is providing pure drinking water, cleaning the Yamuna and improving the national capital’s infrastructure.