If a woman is selected, she will join a short list of female chief ministers Delhi has seen—Sushma Swaraj (BJP), Sheila Dikshit (Congress), and Atishi (AAP). After securing a landslide victory in the Delhi Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is abuzz with discussions about its next chief minister. Speculation suggests that this time, the party might opt for a woman candidate from its newly elected MLAs.
There are also unconfirmed reports about appointing a deputy chief minister from a socially representative background to ensure diverse leadership. The new cabinet is expected to feature a strong mix of women and Dalit leaders. With 48 out of 70 seats, the BJP has ended its 26-year-long wait to return to power in Delhi, reducing the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to just 22 seats.
A senior BJP leader hinted that the party is considering various factors before finalizing a name. The leadership might select a candidate with a Purvanchal background, a Sikh leader, or a woman, depending on political considerations.
Past elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Odisha have shown that the BJP leadership tends to keep such decisions under wraps until a formal announcement is made.
Probable Women Contenders
Several women leaders are being considered for the chief ministerial post:
Rekha Gupta (Shalimar Bagh MLA) – A frontrunner for the position, she is also the national vice president of the BJP’s women’s wing and won her seat by a comfortable margin of 29,595 votes.
Shikha Roy (Greater Kailash MLA) – A strong contender who defeated AAP’s Saurabh Bharadwaj in a high-stakes battle.
Poonam Sharma (Wazirpur MLA) – Secured victory by 11,425 votes.
Neelam Pehalwan (Najafgarh MLA) – Achieved a landslide win with 1,01,708 votes.
Smriti Irani – Despite losing to Kishori Lal of Congress in Amethi in the 2024 Lok Sabha election, the former Union minister remains a strong contender.
Bansuri Swaraj – Daughter of the late Sushma Swaraj, won from the New Delhi Lok Sabha seat.
If a woman is selected, she will join a short list of female chief ministers Delhi has seen—Sushma Swaraj (BJP), Sheila Dikshit (Congress), and Atishi (AAP).
Decision Timeline and Other Contenders
The swearing-in ceremony is expected after Prime Minister Narendra Modi returns from his US visit.
The BJP is planning a grand event to celebrate its return to power, with chief ministers from all NDA-ruled states likely to attend.
Apart from women candidates, other names being considered include:
Vijender Gupta (Rohini MLA)
Ajay Mahawar (Ghonda MLA)
Abhay Verma (Laxmi Nagar MLA)
Kapil Mishra – A former AAP minister who later joined the BJP.
Parvesh Verma – Gained attention after defeating Arvind Kejriwal in New Delhi.
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva has confirmed that the final decision will be taken by the party’s top leadership.
Given Delhi’s unique administrative setup and its connections to BJP-ruled Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, the new CM will need to work closely on key governance issues like roads, transport, and water supply.
Comments