Delhi CM Announcement Live Updates: AAP questions BJP’s delay in naming Delhi CM, says party lacks leadership to govern

Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva launched a fierce attack on acting chief minister Atishi, questioning her authority within the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and claiming internal dissent. He alleged that "people in her party are not ready to accept her as the leader of the opposition."

This followed Atishi’s criticism of the BJP for failing to appoint a chief minister, despite having 48 selected legislators. In response, Sachdeva remarked, "Delhi’s acting CM Atishi is asking who will be the next CM. I want to remind her, you didn’t become CM even when you were in the chair. You’re the only example of not becoming CM while sitting in the seat… Atishi, you have no more arguments."

Sachdeva accused AAP of division, stating, "Even your party members, like Gopal Rai and Sanjeev Jha, refuse to accept you as their leader."

Meanwhile, BJP sources confirmed that the Delhi CM’s oath ceremony is scheduled for February 20 at Ramlila Maidan, with senior political figures expected to attend.

Addressing a press conference in Delhi, BJP's state unit chief Virendra Sachdeva says, "Delhi's caretaker CM Atishi is asking who will be the next chief minister. However, I would like to tell her that she couldn't become the chief minister even after sitting on the Chair. You are the sole example who couldn't become the chief minister even though you were on the Chair."

Addressing a press conference in Delhi, AAP leader Avadh Ojha "The Delhi assembly elections results were declared on February 8, but the BJP has not picked its CM yet. The biggest quality of a leader is being visionary. We were working in Delhi from the past 10 years, and we were working on something which made many countries a world power and this is human resource. Arvind Kejriwal was aware of this and the human resource has two pillars - education and health."

The new chief minister of Delhi, along with the council of ministers, is expected to take oath at Ramlila Maidan on February 20, around 4:30 pm, party sources told news agecny PTI. The event will be attended by senior BJP leaders, including chief ministers from BJP-ruled states. A BJP legislative party meeting, originally scheduled for Monday, has been postponed to Wednesday, where the final decision on the CM candidate will be made.

The oath ceremony details will also be discussed in the meeting. The BJP secured a historic return to power in Delhi after 26 years, winning 48 seats in the February 8 Assembly elections, ending the AAP's decade-long rule, and defeating Arvind Kejriwal in New Delhi.

​​The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has criticised the BJP over its delay in announcing a chief minister and cabinet for Delhi, alleging that the saffron party lacks a credible leader to govern the capital.

Addressing a press conference, senior AAP leader and acting Delhi chief minister Atishi questioned the BJP’s leadership, stating, "It has been ten days since the election results were declared. People expected the BJP to name its chief minister and cabinet on February 9 and begin governance, but it is now evident that they have no face to lead Delhi."

Atishi further claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not have confidence in any of the 48 BJP MLAs elected in Delhi, arguing that the party lacks both a vision and a plan for governance.

"The BJP’s only agenda is to exploit the people of Delhi. If they cannot even choose someone to run the government, how will they serve the public?" she asked.

The political tension between AAP and BJP is expected to intensify as the delay in leadership selection follows the BJP’s decisive victory in the Delhi Assembly elections.

In the recently concluded 70-member Delhi Assembly polls, the BJP won 48 seats, while the AAP secured 22. The election results were announced on February 8 after voting took place on February 5.

This marked a significant shift in Delhi’s political landscape, ending AAP’s decade-long rule. In the 2020 elections, AAP had secured a landslide victory with 62 out of 70 seats, while the BJP had won only eight.

Delhi's caretaker Chief Minister and AAP leader Atishi on Thursday criticised the BJP for failing to announce its chief ministerial candidate even ten days after the election results.

"Ten days have passed since the results of the Delhi elections were declared. The people of Delhi had expected that the BJP would declare its CM face on the 9th, the swearing-in ceremony would take place on the 10th and then their work would begin. But the public kept waiting. Even after ten days, the BJP has not been able to decide on the CM. It has been proved that the BJP does not have a single CM candidate to run the Delhi government," Atishi said.

She further claimed that the delay indicated a lack of trust in BJP's MLAs. "Today, it is clear that the Prime Minister does not trust any of the 48 MLAs; none of them has the ability to run the government," she added.

The BJP is yet to respond to Atishi’s remarks.

The meeting of newly-elected BJP MLAs in Delhi scheduled for tomorrow, has been postponed, BJP sources said, adding that it will now be held on February 19 and the new Chief Minister will take oath on February 20.
"The BJP Legislature Party meeting scheduled for tomorrow has been postponed. Now this meeting will be held on February 19. The swearing-in ceremony of the Chief Minister will also be held on February 20 instead of February 18," a BJP source said.

BJP has come to power in Delhi after 27 years. The BJP won 48 out of the 70 seats in the Delhi Assembly.

The party did not announce a Chief Ministerial face before the elections.

Consultations are being held in the BJP over choice of Chief Minister. Opposition parties have taken dig at BJP over "delay" in choosing its chief ministerial face as results were announced on February 8.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Praveen Khandelwal on Monday slammed RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav over his statement on the New Delhi Railway Station stampede, saying that opposition leaders never shy away from indulging in politics in sensitive matters.
Speaking to ANI, Khandelwal said that opposition leaders are now looking for politics in every issue.

"Tejashwi Yadav or other opposition leaders are now looking for politics in every issue. They do not shy away from doing politics even in sensitive matters... people are still continuously going there (Mahakumbh)... so if Tejashwi Yadav or anyone else is giving a statement, then their statement does not matter in view of arrangements," Khandelwal said.

BJP MP also asserted that the culprits in the New Delhi stampede will not be spared.

Speaking to ANI, the BJP MP said that the report of the Railway Ministry will also come out soon.

"Certainly, the incident that happened at the railway station is unfortunate. The Railway Ministry has formed an inquiry committee, whose report will also come out soon... Whoever is found guilty will not be spared under any circumstances," Khandelwal said.

His reaction came after Yadav alleged that the government had made no necessary arrangements for the devotees at the New Delhi Railway Station, where a stampede occurred on Saturday, resulting in the deaths of 18 people and leaving several others injured in the fatal incident.

He also lamented that poor people are being killed continuously and alleged that the government is not "concerned". The devotees had gathered at the railway station to board trains for Prayagraj to visit the Maha Kumbh Mela when the incident occurred.

Speaking to reporters in Patna, Yadav said, "The government has made no arrangements... poor people are being killed continuously. There have been deaths from station to ghat. The whole country and Bihar want to know who is responsible for these deaths. Who is guilty? Thousands of people are being killed; the government is not concerned."

He further claimed that most of the victims were from Bihar and accused the government of focusing only on public relations efforts rather than ensuring the safety and well-being of citizens.

The stampede at New Delhi railway station occurred around 10 pm when thousands of devotees were heading to Prayagraj Mahakumbh, causing severe overcrowding at the station.

According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Railway, KPS Malhotra, the incident occurred when a large number of passengers gathered on platform no. 14, where the Prayagraj Express was stationed. Additionally, delays in the departures of the Swatantrata Senani Express and Bhubaneswar Rajdhani led to further congestion at platforms 12, 13, and 14.

An eyewitness described the chaos, stating that the crowd came from both sides after an announcement about a train platform change, leading to the stampede. Another eyewitness recounted the horror, saying that the crowd was beyond control. People from the administration and even NDRF personnel were there, but when the crowd exceeded the limit, it was impossible to manage them.

Meanwhile, a two-member committee has been formed to investigate the stampede at the New Delhi Railway Station on February 15, in which 18 people died and several sustained injuries. The committee comprises Narsingh Deo, Northern Railway's Principal Chief Commercial Manager (PCCM), and Pankaj Gangwar, its Principal Chief Safety Commissioner (PCSC), the railways said on Sunday.

A compensation of Rs 10 lakh was announced by the Indian Railways for the families of the deceased who lost their lives in the tragic incident.

Additionally, the Indian Railways announced a compensation of Rs 2.5 lakh for those seriously injured in the incident and Rs 1 lakh for those with minor injuries.

Earlier today, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed grief over the demise of people in an "unfortunate incident" at New Delhi Railway Station, where 18 people, including three children, lost their lives in a stampede caused by severe overcrowding. He announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of the deceased hailing from Bihar and Rs 50,000 for those who have sustained injuries.

The newly elected BJP legislators are expected to convene on Monday to select Delhi’s next chief minister, party sources revealed. The BJP's national leadership will dispatch observers to oversee the legislature party meeting, where the leader of the House in the Delhi Assembly will be chosen. This leader will assume the role of chief minister.

According to sources, the new government is likely to be sworn in between February 19 and 20, with the chief minister and council of ministers taking the oath of office.

The BJP's victory in the February 5 Assembly elections marks its return to power in Delhi after 26 years, ending the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) decade-long rule. The party secured 48 out of 70 seats in the Assembly.

Several newly elected MLAs are being considered for the chief ministerial position. Among the frontrunners are Parvesh Verma, who defeated AAP supremo and outgoing chief minister Arvind Kejriwal from the New Delhi seat, along with former Delhi BJP presidents Vijender Gupta and Satish Upadhyay. Other names in contention include Pawan Sharma, Ashish Sood, Rekha Gupta, and Shikha Rai.

However, many within the party speculate that, as seen in Rajasthan, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh, the BJP leadership might opt for a lesser-known candidate or a "dark horse" among the newly elected MLAs.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Legislative Party meeting in Delhi has been rescheduled to February 19, with the new Chief Minister set to take the oath of office on February 20 at Ramlila Maidan, according to party sources. The meeting was originally planned for Monday but was postponed by two days.

"The BJP Legislature Party meeting scheduled for tomorrow has been postponed. Now, it will take place on February 19, and the swearing-in ceremony for the Chief Minister will be held on February 20 instead of February 18," a BJP source confirmed.

To oversee the preparations for the event, BJP General Secretaries Vinod Tawde and Tarun Chugh have been appointed as in-charges. The oath-taking ceremony is expected to be a grand affair, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Ministers, NDA leaders, Union Ministers, corporate figures, film stars, cricketers, saints, and sages in attendance. Additionally, 12,000-16,000 Delhi residents and diplomats from various countries are also expected to participate.

The BJP secured 48 out of 70 seats in the February 5 Delhi Assembly elections, marking its return to power after 26 years and ending the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) decade-long rule. The election was a direct contest between BJP and AAP, with the latter winning just 22 seats.

Key AAP leaders, including Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, Saurabh Bhardwaj, and Satyendra Jain, suffered defeats in this election. The results were declared on February 8.

Several newly elected BJP MLAs are in the running for the Chief Minister’s post, with Parvesh Verma emerging as a leading contender. Verma gained prominence after defeating AAP supremo and outgoing CM Arvind Kejriwal in the New Delhi constituency.

Other strong contenders include Satish Upadhyay, former Delhi BJP president, and Ashish Sood, who represents the Punjabi community in the party. Jitendra Mahajan is also being considered a potential choice.

Another name in the mix is Vijender Gupta, a seasoned leader with strong organisational backing. If the BJP opts for a female candidate, former Delhi Mayor and first-time MLA Rekha Gupta could be a possible pick.

Following the BJP's victory in the Delhi Assembly polls, the results of which were declared on February 8, discussions are underway regarding the venue for the oath-taking ceremony of the new cabinet. Police sources said on Sunday that the Ramlila Maidan is among the potential venues being considered.
They said a team of senior police officers has visited the site to check on the arrangements there.

Other venues under consideration include the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium and locations along the banks of the Yamuna river, the sources said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 48 of the 70 Assembly seats in the February 5 polls, ending the 10-year rule of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the capital.

As the cleaning of river Yamuna began on Sunday in keeping with BJP's promise in the run-up to the recently concluded Delhi assembly polls, BJP MLA-elect Raj Kumar Bhatia said that the Yamuna will be clean in the coming days, and festivals like Chhath Puja will be celebrated on its banks.
"Today the cleaning of Yamuna has started under the leadership of LG VK Saxena...trash skimmers, weed harvesters and a dredge utility craft are being used to clean the River...The program has been started in four layers...All this depends on the willingness of the government...In the past government (Arvind Kejriwal's regime), such schemes were made too, but he (Arvind Kejriwal) moved to the SC and tried to stop the Yojanas...I hope that in the upcoming days, the Yamuna will be clean, and festivals like Chhath Puja will be celebrated on its banks...," Bhatia told ANI.

Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena held a meeting with the Chief Secretary of the national capital, where an immediate directive was issued to clean the Yamuna River, trash skimmers, weed harvesters, and dredge utility vehicles were deployed to the river.

According to a statement from the LG's office, there is a 'four-pronged strategy' to tackle the issue of pollution in the Yamuna.

"To begin with, the trash, garbage and silt in the Yamuna River stream will be removed. Simultaneously cleaning operations in the Najafgarh Drain, Supplementary Drain, and all other major drains will start," read the statement.

For the other two methods, the statement added, "3. At the same time, a daily watch on the existing STPs in terms of their capacity and output will be maintained, and a time-bound plan in terms of construction of new STPs/DSTPs, etc., to meet the actual shortfall of treating about 400 MGD of sewer will be put in place and operationalised."

The office has set a three-year timeline to clean the river, emphasising the need for 'seamless coordination' between various agencies and departments, including the DJB, I&FC, MCD, Environment Department, PWD, and DDA.

"The execution of this ambitious plan that targets cleaning the river in about 3 years will require seamless coordination between various agencies and departments that include DJB, I&FC, MCD, Environment Department, PWD and DDA," the statement read.