Delhi BJP President Teases Announcement of New CM; AAP Councillors Switch Allegiance
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Synopsis
Delhi BJP President Virender Sachdeva revealed that the announcement of the new Chief Minister is imminent, with three AAP councillors switching to the BJP, raising the stakes ahead of the MCD mayoral election.
Key Takeaways
- New CM's name to be announced soon.
- Three AAP councillors defect to BJP.
- February 19 set for government oath-taking ceremony.
- Party aims for diverse representation in the new Cabinet.
- BJP seeks to establish a 'triple-engine sarkar' in Delhi.
New Delhi, Feb 15 (NationPress) The uncertainty surrounding the identity of the new Chief Minister of Delhi is expected to persist for several more days, as indicated by Delhi BJP President Virender Sachdeva on Saturday, who stated, "we will be sharing the good news in a day or two".
These comments came on a day when three AAP councillors defected to the BJP ahead of the upcoming MCD mayoral elections in April, increasing the likelihood of the BJP overtaking the AAP and reclaiming power in the civic body. The previous election was narrowly won by the AAP by just three votes.
Sachdeva mentioned that the announcement of the new Chief Minister's name will occur following the appointment of at least two central party observers to lead a meeting of the BJP Legislature Party, where a Leader of the House will be elected.
The Delhi BJP president dismissed assertions that there has been an unreasonable delay in forming the government. "Typically, such processes take 7-8 days; I don’t believe there has been a delay," he remarked during a media briefing.
Sachdeva’s choice to withhold the name of the new Chief Minister coincided with speculation within the Delhi BJP that February 19 has been set as the date for the new government’s swearing-in ceremony at an event at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
“The event will showcase the strength of the NDA and send a strong message ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in Bihar," a party leader noted.
The results of the Delhi Assembly elections were announced on February 8. In the 70-member assembly, the BJP secured 48 seats while the AAP obtained 22 seats.
In the meantime, the structure of the new Delhi BJP government’s 7-member Cabinet, including the Chief Minister, has become a hot topic of discussion within party circles.
Key discussions include representation of women and achieving a balance between experience and youth, alongside ensuring representation for various communities including Jat, Vaishya, Dalit, Punjabi, and Purvanchali.
Earlier in the day, three AAP councillors officially joined the BJP in the presence of the Delhi unit chief, who also suggested a forthcoming reshuffle within the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.
“Previously, the slogan was double-engine sarkar. Now, the demand is for a triple-engine sarkar," Sachdeva remarked, hinting at the prospect of the BJP displacing the AAP in the civic body, where the AAP had 112 and the BJP had 110 members prior to a dozen councillors from both parties being elected to the Delhi Assembly.
“A triple-engine sarkar – at the Centre, Assembly, and MCD – will be optimal for enhancing the beauty of Delhi and serving its residents,” Sachdeva stated.
Welcoming the AAP councillors – Anita Basoya (Andrews Ganj), Nikhil Chaprana (Hari Nagar), and Dharamvir (R K Puram) – Sachdeva expressed that these leaders contributed to BJP’s success in the Assembly elections.
