Delhi CM oath ceremony: The name of Delhi's next Chief Minister is set to be announced on Wednesday evening after the conclusion of BJP's legislature party meeting in the national capital. Preparations were complete for the legislature party meeting that is expected to begin around 7 pm at the Delhi BJP office, the party leaders said. They further said the meeting will be held in the presence of BJP's central observers. The new Chief Minister after being chosen by the party MLAs will meet Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena at the Raj Niwas to stake claim to power.
Meanwhile, preparations for the February 20 oath-taking ceremony are in full swing at the historic Ramlila Ground in the national capital. According to party leaders, the Chief Minister and the entire Cabinet will take oath in a grand ceremony which is expected to take place around noon on Thursday. Around 50,000 people are expected to attend the event at the Ramlila Maidan, as per party leaders. Following the swearing-in ceremony, a special lunch has been arranged for NDA leaders at Delhi's Imperial Hotel. The event will see the presence of key alliance leaders, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expected to attend.
Guest list for oath ceremony
The much-anticipated oath ceremony is set to witness a star-studded gathering, with several high-profile dignitaries, including political heavyweights and renowned personalities from various fields. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP National President JP Nadda, and Delhi's Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena are among the top leaders scheduled to attend the event.
In addition to them, several Union Ministers have been invited to grace the occasion. The event will also see the participation of Chief Ministers and Deputy Chief Ministers from BJP-ruled states. However, some of them, including UP CM Yogi Adityanath, will not be able to attend due to the ongoing budget sessions in their respective assemblies. As many as 40 celebrities have also been invited to the event, the news agency PTI reported quoting sources. Officials said that as per protocol, outgoing Delhi Chief Minister Atishi and her predecessor and three-time Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will also be invited to the oath ceremony.
Speaking to the media, Delhi BJP president Virendraa Sachdeva said auto-rickshaw drivers, labourers and a few known people from civil society will also attend the oath ceremony.
Contenders for Delhi CM post
The names doing the rounds for the new Chief Minister include Parvesh Verma, who defeated Kejriwal; former Delhi BJP presidents Vijender Gupta and Satish Upadhyay; and other leaders such as Pawan Sharma, Ashish Sood, Rekha Gupta, and Shikha Rai. The names of Ravinder Indraj Singh, the MLA from Bawana (SC) seat, and Kailash Gangwal, who won the Madipur (SC) seat for the BJP for the first time, are also being discussed. Many within the party believe that the BJP leadership could choose a "dark horse" as Delhi's next Chief Minister, a strategy the party opted for in Rajasthan, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh.