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After nearly three decades out of power in the national capital, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has secured a decisive victory in the Delhi Assembly Elections 2025, winning 48 out of 70 seats. The landslide win marks the end of the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) 10-year reign, reducing AAP’s tally to just 22 seats, while Congress once again failed to win a single seat.
With the BJP set to return to power, all eyes are now on who will take over as the new chief minister of Delhi. The final decision rests with the party’s central leadership, fueling speculation over potential candidates.
BJP’s History in Delhi: A Struggle for Stability
Delhi last saw a BJP chief minister 27 years ago, but the party faced challenges in maintaining leadership continuity. From 1993 to 1998, the capital saw three BJP CMs in quick succession:
- Madan Lal Khurana (1993-1996)
- Dubbed ‘Delhi ka Sher’, he became the first BJP CM after Delhi’s assembly was reinstated.
- His government collapsed in 1996 due to the Hawala scandal, forcing him to resign.
- Sahib Singh Verma (1996-1998)
- Took over after Khurana but was involved in a power struggle with his predecessor.
- Was eventually removed due to soaring onion prices and water crises.
- Sushma Swaraj (1998, October-December)
- Delhi’s first woman CM, appointed just months before elections.
- Despite her efforts to control the onion crisis, BJP lost the 1998 elections, bringing Sheila Dikshit to power for the next 15 years.
AAP’s Downfall: What Led to Kejriwal’s Defeat?
Arvind Kejriwal’s AAP, which dominated Delhi’s politics for the last decade, suffered a humiliating defeat in 2025, largely due to:
- The ‘Liquor Scam’ controversy that damaged the party’s credibility.
- Public outrage over Kejriwal’s extravagant lifestyle in the ‘Sheesh Mahal’ controversy.
- Strong anti-incumbency sentiment after 10 years in power.
Notably, in a historic upset, Parvesh Verma, son of former BJP CM Sahib Singh Verma, defeated Kejriwal by over 4,000 votes in the New Delhi constituency.
What’s Next? Delhi Awaits New Leadership
With BJP reclaiming control, the biggest question now is—who will be the next CM?
The party’s central leadership is expected to decide soon, and speculation is rife over potential candidates. As Delhi braces for a new era under BJP rule, the focus will be on whether the party can maintain political stability—something it struggled with in the past.
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