Who will be new Delhi CM? BJP may opt for tested formula, final decision likely on Sunday

The BJP has adopted the formula of one CM and two deputy CMs in several states where it has come to power in recent months. (PTI Photo)

A week after the Delhi election results were announced, the legislature party of the BJP comprising the 48 newly-elected MLAs will meet in the national capital on Sunday to decide who will be the new chief minister of Delhi.

The BJP bagged 48 seats in the 70-member Assembly in the elections held earlier this month, dislodging the Aam Aadmi Party government from power. The Arvind Kejriwal-led party managed to win only 22 seats this time, a drop of 40 seats in its tally from the last elections.

The term of the current Delhi Assembly concludes on February 26 and the new government is likely to have taken charge by then. While BJP maintains that the final decision will require the approval of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is currently in the US on a visit and is expected to return to Delhi on Saturday, parleys are underway within the party to give shape to the new cabinet.

The first legislature party meeting of the Delhi BJP on Sunday is likely to be presided over by two senior party leaders in the form of central observers who are yet to be appointed to oversee the process of selection of the chief minister, deputy chief ministers and members of the Cabinet.

The last few days since the declaration of results have seen a series of meeting between top BJP leaders including Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and national general secretary BL Santhosh and leaders of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

Meanwhile, party leaders privy to the developments told news agency PTI that the BJP may opt for a government with a chief minister and two deputy chief ministers to reflect Delhi’s diverse demographics and ensure representation from various caste, community, and regional backgrounds.

The meetings within the BJP have revolved around the possible composition of the government which is likely to see a chief minister and two deputy chief ministers, leaders with knowledge of developments told The Indian Express.

There is a possibility of the BJP initially going ahead with a seven-member Cabinet, including the chief minister, and two deputy chief ministers. The BJP is also considering the option of constituting a seven-member Cabinet, including the Chief Minister, with a BJP MLA from each of Delhi’s seven Lok Sabha seats chosen according to the required caste combination.

The formula of one CM and two deputy CMs is what the BJP has tried in several states where it has come to power. Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and more recently, Maharashtra, also have the same composition of the government.

"At least one Cabinet minister may be a senior Sikh face, such as Arvinder Singh Lovely (Gandhi Nagar MLA-elect) or Manjinder Singh Sirsa (Rajouri Garden MLA-elect) in addition to at least one woman minister. There is also the possibility of accommodating one woman MLA on the post of the Deputy Speaker," IE quoted a party source as saying.

Among names being discussed as possible contenders for Cabinet posts also include Madipur MLA-elect Kailash Gangwal, Ravinder Indraj Singh (Bawana), Raj Kumar Chauhan (Mangol Puri), and Ravi Kant (Trilokpuri). All these leaders hail from the Schedule Caste community.

On the other hand, the Cabinet may also see the induction of leaders from the Baniya community. Rekha Gupta (Shalimar Bagh), Vijender Gupta (Rohini), and Tilak Ram Gupta (Tri Nagar) are believed to be contenders from the influential community for posts in the Cabinet or the Assembly.

The party will also need to accommodate 10 new Jat MLA-elects in the government. The BJP may choose to go with one Jat deputy chief minister, sources said.

As the BJP deliberates its options, there is buzz over the likely frontrunners for the post of chief minister. Prominent names among them include Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma, MLA-elect from New Delhi who defeated former CM and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, East Delhi MP Harsh Malhotra, North East Delhi MP Manoj Tiwari, and New Delhi MP Bansuri Swaraj.