Delhi to get woman chief minister? Who are the probable BJP front-runners?
After its massive victory in the Delhi assembly election, the Bharatiya Janata Party is buzzing with discussions over who will be the next chief minister. This time, the party might go for a woman candidate, picking from its newly elected MLAs. Unconfirmed reports claimed there is also a possibility of appointing a deputy chief minister from a socially representative background, ensuring a diverse leadership team.
The new cabinet is expected to include a strong mix of women and Dalit leaders.
With 48 out of 70 seats in its bag, the BJP has ended its 26-year-long wait to return to power in Delhi, pushing the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party down to just 22 seats.
A senior BJP leader hinted that the party is weighing its options carefully—considering a candidate with a Purvanchal background, a Sikh leader, or a woman, depending on what works best politically. Past elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Odisha suggest that the party leadership keeps its cards close to the chest before making a big announcement.
Probable women faces
Rekha Gupta – Rekha Gupta (Shalimar Bagh MLA) is seen as a frontrunner. She is also the national vice president of the BJP’s women’s wing and won her seat with a comfortable margin of 29,595 votes.
Shikha Roy –Shikha Roy (Greater Kailash) is another strong contender, having defeated AAP’s Saurabh Bharadwaj in a high-stakes battle.
Poonam Sharma – Wazirpur MLA, won by 11,425 votes.
Neelam Pehalwan – Najafgarh MLA, secured a massive victory with 1,01,708 votes.
Smriti Irani – Former Union minister, lost to Kishori Lal of the Congress in from Amethi the 2024 Lok Sabha election, but remains a strong contender.
Bansuri Swaraj – Daughter of late Sushma Swaraj, won from the New Delhi Lok Sabha seat.
If a woman is chosen, she would join a short list of female chief ministers Delhi has seen—Sushma Swaraj (BJP), Sheila Dikshit (Congress), and Atishi (AAP).
When will the decision be made?
According to reports, the swearing-in ceremony will likely happen once Prime Minister Narendra Modi returns from his US visit. The BJP is planning a grand event to mark its comeback in the capital, with chief ministers from all NDA-ruled states expected to attend.
Other CM probables
Other names are also being considered. Some party insiders believe Vijender Gupta (Rohini MLA), Ajay Mahawar (Ghonda MLA), and Abhay Verma (Laxmi Nagar MLA) could be in the race.
Kapil Mishra, once a minister in the AAP government who switched to the BJP, is also being discussed, as is Parvesh Verma, who made headlines by defeating Arvind Kejriwal in New Delhi.
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva has made it clear that the final call will be taken by the party’s top leadership. With Delhi’s unique administrative challenges and its ties to BJP-ruled Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, the new CM will need to coordinate closely on issues like roads, transport, and water supply.
