Tue Feb 18 18:32:08 UTC 2025: ## Delhi BJP Set to Choose Next Chief Minister; Prevesh Verma, Rekha Gupta Emerge as Top Contenders
**New Delhi:** The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Delhi is poised to announce its next Chief Minister on February 19th, following its landslide victory in the recent Assembly elections. While several names are in contention, analysis of online discussions and social media trends by India Today suggests that Prevesh Verma and Rekha Gupta are the frontrunners.
Following the February 8th election results, Prevesh Verma experienced a significant surge in social media followers, gaining over 80,100 on Instagram and nearly 17,800 on X (formerly Twitter). Rekha Gupta also saw an increase, adding 975 Instagram and 632 X followers. Other potential candidates, including former Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta, Satish Upadhyay, Ashish Sood, and Jitendra Mahajan, also saw increases, though less significant.
Further analysis from Talkwalker reveals that Rekha Gupta was mentioned in over 2,300 X posts related to potential CM candidates in the past week, exceeding the mentions received by Prevesh Verma (1,600). Google search data also indicated high interest in both Verma and Gupta immediately following the election. Although Verma initially led in searches, Gupta’s search volume has increased in recent days.
BJP president J.P. Nadda expressed confidence in the party’s ability to swiftly choose a Chief Minister, stating the decision would be made within 15 minutes during a party leadership meeting. The newly elected MLAs are scheduled to meet on Wednesday to make the final selection, with the swearing-in ceremony tentatively planned for February 20th. Sources suggest a shortlist of 15 names has been drawn up, with 9 ultimately chosen for key positions, including Chief Minister, cabinet ministers, and Speaker. The BJP secured 48 seats, ending the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) 27-year reign.
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