BJP plans grand oath ceremony for New Delhi CM; event after PM Modi's return: Reports
New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is making grand plans for a ceremony to mark its return to power in Delhi, following a decisive win in the Delhi Assembly elections. Sources confirm that the oath-taking of the new Chief Minister will take place after Prime Minister Narendra Modi returns from his visit to the United States later this week. This marks the BJP’s return to power in Delhi after 26 years, having defeated the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) by a big margin.
The ceremony is expected to be a major event, with Chief Ministers from all National Democratic Alliance (NDA)-ruled states invited.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP President JP Nadda met on Sunday for nearly two hours. Delhi BJP Chief Virendraa Sachdeva is also set to meet the 48 newly elected MLAs later today to plan next steps. On Saturday evening, reports suggest that Prime Minister Modi, Shah, and Nadda discussed government formation and the oath ceremony at the BJP headquarters.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Atishi handed over her resignation to Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena on Sunday, following the party’s defeat in the elections. Atishi, who retained her Kalkaji seat in the polls, submitted her resignation at Raj Niwas, the Lt Governor’s official residence.
The Lt Governor’s office has confirmed that Atishi has been asked to continue as Chief Minister until a new government is formed. The BJP is expected to stake its claim to power next week, once Prime Minister Modi returns.
In addition, the Delhi Assembly was officially dissolved on February 8, 2025, and the government formation process is set to begin soon.
While the BJP has not yet announced its choice for the next Chief Minister, Parvesh Verma, the newly elected MLA from New Delhi, is emerging as a strong contender. Verma’s landslide victory in his constituency, where he defeated former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, has placed him in the spotlight as a potential candidate for the top post.