Delhi: BJP prepares for appointing leader of Opposition

NEW DELHI: The race for becoming the leader of Opposition in Delhi assembly has started in BJP while Aam Aadmi Party is preparing to form the next government with the swearing-in ceremony of chief minister designate Arvind Kejriwal scheduled on Sunday. BJP won eight seats in the 70-member Delhi assembly where AAP got 62 in yet another landslide victory in the Delhi assembly elections, the results of which were declared on Tuesday.
In the sixth Delhi assembly, BJP only had three MLAs. Though the saffron party did not qualify for getting the position of the leader of Opposition — at least 10% of the total members of the House are required to be able to get the position —AAP had given the status of the leader of Opposition to BJP. This time, BJP has the numbers.
Frontrunners for the post include Rohini MLA Vijender Gupta, who was the leader of Opposition in the previous assembly, Badarpur MLA Ramvir Singh Bidhuri and Karawal Nagar MLA Mohan Singh Bisht, according to sources in BJP. The newly elected MLAs have started meeting senior BJP leaders as the decision about appointing the leader of Opposition is likely to be taken soon.
Apart from the three, the party can also nominate a fresh face from among the remaining MLAs. The Kejriwal cabinet may convene the assembly next week for oath of newly elected MLAs where the election of speaker of the House will take place.