Delhi’s next Chief Minister? BJP MLAs dismiss speculation amid transition

Delhi: The highly anticipated swearing-in ceremony of the new Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government in Delhi is expected to take place on February 19 or 20, according to a senior party leader. The announcement comes as speculation continues over who will be appointed as the Chief Minister.

BJP's governance priorities

The new administration has set its priorities, including the provision of clean drinking water and significant improvements in civic infrastructure. Rajouri Garden MLA Manjinder Singh Sirsa, a potential candidate for the Chief Minister’s post, stated, "The new government will start working around February 19-20."

As per party insiders, the BJP legislature party meeting will be convened after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s return from his France and US visit. PM Modi arrived in Delhi on Friday night following his international tour.

Delhi CM speculation: BJP leaders dismiss "Race" for the top post

BJP legislators have dismissed reports of a contest for the Chief Minister’s position, calling them media-driven speculation. Laxmi Nagar MLA Abhay Verma, a strong contender for the CM post, clarified, "There is no race for the post of Delhi Chief Minister. In our party, the CM or the leader of the legislature party is elected in a meeting of the MLAs." Verma, a Purvanchali leader, highlighted that the new government’s focus will be on development, clean water supply, and pollution control. "We have come to serve the people, and we are prioritizing clean air, clean drinking water, and freeing the Yamuna from pollution," he added.

Ayushman Bharat and clean water among BJP’s immediate focus areas

Fulfilling Prime Minister Modi’s promise, the BJP plans to implement the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme in Delhi. The scheme, previously blocked by the AAP government, will be rolled out during the first meeting of the new Cabinet.

Manjinder Singh Sirsa stressed that within the first 100 days, the government will focus on ensuring clean drinking water, improving sanitation, and addressing pollution in Delhi and the Yamuna River.

BJP’s CM pick to be selected from 48 MLAs

Six-time MLA Mohan Singh Bisht confirmed that the new Chief Minister will be chosen from among the 48 BJP legislators. Meanwhile, Mustafabad MLA has reignited the proposal to rename his constituency to "Shiv Vihar" or "Shiv Puri" to reflect local sentiments. "There are around 42% people of one community (minorities) and 58% people (Hindus)... So, public sentiment must be respected," Bisht asserted. The BJP government also aims to curb Yamuna pollution by setting up sewage treatment plants (STPs) to manage waste from 28 major drains.