As the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) surged past the crucial halfway mark of 36 seats in the Delhi Assembly elections, all eyes are now set on the Saffron party’s choice for the Chief Ministerial post.
BJP leader Virendraa Sachdeva, addressing the swirling speculation, clarified on Saturday that the decision rests entirely with the party’s "central leadership."
Responding to AAP's taunts - where the party had questioned "BJP ka dulha kaun?" over the absence of a CM face during the campaign - Sachdeva dismissed the matter as inconsequential. "Central leadership will decide (CM's face). This issue doesn't matter much to us. Those (AAP) who betray people, the people will treat them like this (defeat) only," he remarked.
Exit polls had showed a mixed picture ahead of the results, with most forecasting a BJP victory after nearly three decades of political exile in Delhi. Some projections hinted at a tight contest between BJP and AAP, while Congress was expected to play only a minor role.
Seat estimates suggested BJP could secure between 35 to 49 seats, AAP might claim 21 to 37, and Congress was projected to barely scrape through with a maximum of three seats.
Who could be BJP's CM pick? List of key contendersAs the BJP inches closer to forming the government, speculation is rife over who will be picked as its chief ministerial face. Here are the leading names in contention:
Parvesh Verma – The son of former Delhi CM Sahib Singh Verma, Verma entered the fray from the prestigious New Delhi seat, contesting against AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal. While early trends showed him leading, he has since started trailing.
Ramesh Bidhuri – AAP had prematurely declared Bidhuri as BJP’s CM face and even challenged him to a debate—an assertion BJP dismissed, maintaining that leadership decisions were yet to be finalized. Bidhuri is contesting from Kalkaji against AAP’s Atishi.
Kailash Gahlot – The Bijwasan candidate has emerged as a strong contender, currently leading from his constituency.
Kapil Mishra – Contesting from Karawal Nagar, Mishra has shown early dominance in the polls, maintaining a lead over his rivals.
Arvinder Singh Lovely – Once a stalwart of Delhi Congress, Lovely switched loyalties to BJP ahead of the elections and contested from Gandhi Nagar. However, early trends indicate he is trailing.
Vijender Gupta – A veteran BJP leader and former Delhi BJP chief, Gupta has consistently defended his Rohini stronghold, securing wins in both 2015 and 2020 despite AAP’s sweeping victories. His experience as Leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Assembly makes him a formidable choice for the CM’s post.
AAP’s rollercoaster ride in Delhi politicsThe Aam Aadmi Party, which burst onto the political scene in 2013, formed the government with Congress’ outside support after winning 28 seats. However, the tenure lasted only 49 days before Arvind Kejriwal resigned.
In 2015, AAP scripted history with a landslide victory, bagging 67 out of 70 seats. The party retained power in 2020 with 62 seats, leaving BJP with just eight. Congress, once again, was wiped out.
