From Parvesh Verma to Manoj Tiwari: Who are in BJP's Delhi CM race?

Delhi Assembly elections: With BJP inching towards win in Delhi, the question now emerges whether BJP will choose one of its seasoned leaders or go for another surprise pick

As the Bharatiya Janata Party crosses the halfway mark of 36 seats in the Delhi Assembly elections, speculation is growing over who will be chosen to lead the capital’s government. While party officials have yet to make an official announcement, several names have surfaced as potential contenders. The BJP, known for its strategic unpredictability in key state appointments, could spring a surprise for the chief minister’s post.

 

Commenting on the chief minister (CM) face for BJP, Delhi president Virendra Sachdeva on Saturday said “the central leadership will decide”.

 

“The people have picked Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership because they wanted a model of development,” Sachdeva said.

 

 

Potential BJP Delhi chief minister contenders

Parvesh Verma 

Parvesh Verma is the son of former Delhi CM Sahib Singh Verma. He is contesting from the New Delhi seat, facing AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal in a closely contested battle.

 

Parvesh is an experienced leader who has been vocal in criticising AAP’s management of pollution and infrastructure issues. Coming from a political family, he has strong roots in Delhi politics, with his uncle Azad Singh having served as a former mayor of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation.

 

Ramesh Bidhuri 

Ramesh Bidhuri, a senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader with more than two decades of experience in Delhi politics, is contesting from Kalkaji, where he faced Chief Minister Atishi. Despite Atishi's win in the contest, Bidhuri remains an influential figure in the BJP.

 

A prominent critic of AAP’s policies, Bidhuri is a key figure in Delhi’s BJP. While AAP projected him as the BJP’s CM face during the campaign, the BJP dismissed this claim. When questioned about the CM position, he responded, “We are here to serve the public, not for any position like CM.” 

Satish Upadhyay

 

Satish Upadhyay, former President of the BJP Delhi Unit, has held various positions in the party over the last three decades. He contested the Delhi Assembly elections from the Malviya Nagar seat. As the counting of votes comes to an end, Upadhyay leads by a margin of 1,971 votes against AAP's Somnath Bharti.

 

Virendra Sachdeva

 

BJP's current Delhi President, Virendra Sachdeva, did not contest the Assembly elections, but he remains a key figure within the party and could potentially take on the CM role. When appointed as president of the Delhi unit in 2023, Sachdeva stated that his main focus would be to remove the AAP from Delhi's politics in both the 2024 Lok Sabha and 2025 Assembly elections. "We will work to ensure that the BJP retains all seven seats in 2024," he said.

 

Manoj Tiwari 

Manoj Tiwari is the BJP MP from North-East Delhi and a former Delhi BJP president. Although he is not contesting the Assembly elections, he remains a strong contender for the CM post. He is a popular figure among Purvanchali voters in Delhi and enjoys significant popularity due to his career as a Bhojpuri film star. His widespread following has contributed to his mass appeal. Additionally, his visibility has been boosted by his collaborations with Bollywood superstars, increasing his public profile.

 

A surprise pick?

The BJP has a history of selecting unexpected leaders for key positions. In 2023, the party surprised many by bypassing seasoned leaders in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh and instead selecting individuals like Mohan Yadav, Bhajan Lal Sharma, and Vishnu Deo Sai, respectively.

 

These ‘out-of-the-box’ choices helped balance caste and class equations, while also projecting fresh leadership. BJP could take a similar surprise route in Delhi, choosing a lesser-known but strategic candidate.

 

BJP’s first Delhi CM in 27 years

The BJP last held power in Delhi in 1998, when Madan Lal Khurana, Sahib Singh Verma, and Sushma Swaraj, all held the post of chief minister one after another in one single term. 

 

Since then, Congress (1998-2013) and AAP (2013-present) have ruled the capital. 

A BJP government would mark a major political shift in Delhi after AAP’s decade-long dominance. With the BJP inching towards victory, the suspense over Delhi’s next CM continues.