BJP Government In Delhi Likely To Be Sworn In By Feb 19-20; To Prioritise Clean Water, Better Civic Infra

The swearing-in ceremony of the BJP government in Delhi is likely to take place on February 19 or 20.

New Delhi:The BJP stormed to power in the national capital after 27 years as they won 48 of the total 70 seats. It was a saffron surge in Delhi as it dislodged the Aam Aadmi Party, which ruled Delhi for over a decade. AAP managed to win only 22 seats while Congress could not even win a single seat.

It is understood that the swearing-in ceremony of the BJP government in Delhi is likely to take place on February 19 or 20. According to BJP leaders, the new dispensation will give priority to clean drinking water supply, and improved civic infrastructure, among other things.

"Prime Minister is coming back from his foreign visit and soon the observers for a meeting of the BJP legislature party will be appointed," newly elected BJP MLA and national secretary of the party Manjinder Singh Sirsa was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

"The new government will start working around February 19-20," said the Rajouri Garden MLA, who is considered a contender for the post of Chief Minister or a ministerial berth. Sirsa said that he expected that the BJP legislature party meeting would be held around February 18-19 and added "The new government will be formed, I think, by February 20, after the swearing-in ceremony," he added.

The newly elected BJP MLAs laughed off any race for the post of Chief Minister of Delhi, saying such talks were merely speculations by the media. "There is no race for the post of Delhi chief minister. In our party the CM or the leader of the legislature party is elected in a meeting of the MLAs," said second-time MLA from Laxmi Nagar seat Abhay Verma.

Purvesh Verma, a Purvanchali, is also talked about as a prospective candidate for the top post of the Delhi government. "We have come to serve the people and now thinking about addressing issues like development, clean water supply and clean air for the people as well as how to free the Yamuna from pollution," he said.

The BJP MLAs asserted that as per PM Modi's promise, the Ayushman Bharat health scheme obstructed by the AAP government, will be implemented in Delhi in the first meeting of the new Cabinet. The prime minister has already announced that the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme will be implemented through the first meeting of the new Cabinet.

Sirsa said that providing clean drinking water, ensuring sanitation in the city and starting work to deal with air and Yamuna pollution, will be priorities of the new government within 100 days in power. Sixth-time MLA Mohan Singh Bisht said the new chief minister of Delhi will be elected from the 48 BJP legislators.

The Mustafabad MLA, also reiterated his proposal for changing the name of the minority dominate constituency to "Shiv Vihar" or "Shiv Puri". "There are around 42 per cent people of one community (minorities) and on the other hand are 58 per cent people (Hindus)... So, the public sentiment must be respected," said the senior BJP MLA.

He also said that the BJP government will ensure removing pollution in the Yamuna by setting up sewage treatment plants (STPs) to tap 28 major drains flowing into the river.