Following BJP's sweeping victory in Delhi, the biggest question now is who will be appointed the Chief Minister? Within BJP, there are several strong contenders for the CM position. When choosing the face for CM, BJP will aim to balance caste and regional considerations.
Sources suggest that the Chief Minister is likely to be selected from among the elected legislators. The foremost name in the CM race is Parvesh Verma, who defeated Arvind Kejriwal from the New Delhi seat.
Parvesh Verma:
Politically seasoned, Parvesh Verma has served as a Member of Parliament twice before. Despite hailing from outer Delhi, he showcased his strength in New Delhi. He is the son of former CM Sahib Singh Verma.
Parvesh Verma is not just among the prominent young faces in Delhi but appointing him as a Jat CM could resonate with Jat voters in rural Delhi, Western UP, Haryana, and Rajasthan. Post-victory, he met with Amit Shah.
Vijender Gupta:
Vijender Gupta, BJP's Vaishya face, has previously led Delhi BJP. Despite the AAP wave, he clinched victories in the last two assembly elections. In 2015, when there were only 3 BJP MLAs in the Delhi assembly, one was Gupta. He retained his seat in the 2020 elections and has twice served as Leader of the Opposition in the Delhi assembly, providing him with an insightful understanding of Delhi's issues.
Satish Upadhyay:
A Brahmin face of BJP, Satish Upadhyay has served as the state president. He has also presided over the Delhi Youth Front and held a vice-chairman position at NDMC. With administrative knowledge and numerous organizational responsibilities under his belt, Upadhyay maintained crucial involvements within the party and in the RSS.
Ashish Sood:
Representing the Punjabi face of BJP, Ashish Sood got elected from Janakpuri. Previously a councilor, he also served as the General Secretary of Delhi BJP. Holding significant positions, he is the Goa in-charge and a co-in-charge in Jammu & Kashmir, maintaining close ties with central leaders, and was the DU president.
Jitendra Mahajan:
Winning from Rohtas Nagar for the third time in a row, Jitendra Mahajan is closely associated with the RSS and belongs to the Vaishya community. Once again, he defeated the AAP candidate Sarita Singh by a hefty margin. He might emerge as the dark horse.
