BJP mulls appointing woman as Delhi CM: Report
What's the story
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is said to be mulling appointing a woman as the Chief Minister of Delhi after its landslide victory in the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections India TV Today said citing sources.
The party won 48 out of 70 seats, ending the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) decade-long rule and bringing BJP back to power in the national capital after 27 years.
The next CM will be picked from the newly elected legislators, sources said.
Potential candidates
4 women MLAs among potential contenders for CM post
Among the winning candidates, four women MLAs have emerged as strong contenders for the top post.
Rekha Gupta, Shikha Roy, Poonam Sharma, and Neelam Pehalwan are being considered for their impressive wins.
Gupta won from Shalimar Bagh with a 29,595-vote margin over AAP's Bandana Kumari.
Roy defeated AAP heavyweight Saurabh Bharadwaj in Greater Kailash by 3,188 votes.
Sharma won Wazirpur with an 11,425-vote lead over AAP's Rajesh Gupta while Pehalwan won Najafgarh with a 29,009-vote margin against AAP's Tarun Kumar.
Frontrunners
Other potential candidates for Delhi CM post
Parvesh Verma is also a frontrunner for the CM post after he defeated former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal from the New Delhi constituency.
Other names doing the rounds are Ashish Sood from Janakpuri and Pawan Sharma from Uttam Nagar. Both have immense administrative experience and strong electoral support.
The BJP is also considering appointing a Deputy CM from an under-represented background. The new cabinet will have a strong representation of women and Dalits.
Formation plans
BJP's government formation plans and public expectations
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and BJP chief JP Nadda have discussed government formation plans.
The new CM's swearing-in ceremony is expected after Modi returns from his US visit.
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said, "The decision to pick chief ministerial face will be taken by central leadership of BJP."
Speculation remains high as the party may pick a surprise candidate who fits their strategic goals for Delhi's governance amid high public expectations.