BJP legislature party meet to choose next Delhi CM likely to be held on Monday
New Delhi, Feb 16 (PTI): The newly-elected MLAs of the BJP are likely to meet here on Monday to choose the new chief minister of Delhi, party sources said.
The national leadership of the BJP will send its observers for the legislature party meeting, in which the leader of the House in the Delhi Assembly will be elected, they said.
The leader of the House will be the new chief minister of Delhi.
The sources also said the new government in the national capital is likely to be formed with the oath-taking ceremony of the chief minister and council of ministers around February 19-20.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in Delhi after a gap of more than 26 years, winning the Assembly polls held on February 5. It ended the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) 10-year rule in Delhi. The saffron party won 48 of the 70 Assembly seats in the capital.
The names of several newly-elected MLAs are doing the rounds for the posts of chief minister and ministers.
Those considered frontrunners for the top post include Parvesh Verma, who defeated AAP supremo and former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal in the election from the New Delhi seat, and former Delhi BJP presidents Vijender Gupta and Satish Upadhyay.
Pawan Sharma, Ashish Sood, Rekha Gupta and Shikha Rai, among others, are also contenders for the chief minister's post.
Many in the party believe that as was the cases in Rajasthan, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Chhattisgarh, the BJP leadership might put its bets on a "dark horse" among the newly-elected MLAs.
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Caste census will form basis for future policy decision, says CM Siddaramaiah
Mysuru (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said that the ongoing caste census would form the basis for future policy decisions, asserting that the exercise was crucial to advancing social justice in the state.
Addressing a gathering at the Siddarameshwara Jayanti celebrations here, he said caste enumeration was being carried out for the first time since 1931 and would be followed by deliberations once the report is submitted.
"At present, a caste census (Jaati Sameekshe) is underway. After the report comes, we will discuss it and take necessary decisions," Siddaramaiah said.
He underlined the government’s commitment to equality, stating, "We are committed to social justice. No one should face injustice. Even if not 100 per cent, we will strive to ensure 99 per cent justice."
Referring to measures aimed at addressing intra-caste disparities, the chief minister said the government had already implemented internal reservation based on revised classifications.
"We have gone beyond the Nagamohan Das report and implemented internal reservation… now it has been revised to 5.25 per cent, 5.25 per cent, and 4.5 per cent. This has been approved by the Cabinet," he said.
Siddaramaiah said the broader objective was to ensure equitable distribution of resources and opportunities, while reiterating that policy interventions would be guided by constitutional principles.
"Our objective is equal share and equal life for all," he said.
He also emphasised the role of education in eliminating inequalities, particularly among marginalised communities, and said empowerment was essential to dismantle entrenched caste hierarchies.
"Only when people gain such empowerment can caste divisions be eradicated. Education is essential for this," he added.
The CM said the government would examine demands raised by various communities and take decisions based on feasibility, while ensuring that benefits reached all sections without discrimination.
