Delhi CM Candidate Announcement Live: AAP claims, 'BJP unable to decide who will become CM, fighting among themselves'

A Delhi court on Thursday granted AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan interim relief from arrest until February 24 in a case related to alleged obstruction of police officers. The court directed Khan to cooperate with the investigation and instructed the police to conduct his interrogation under CCTV surveillance.

Work on Ghazipur mound of garbage to resume soon

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is set to begin the second phase of biomining at the Ghazipur landfill by late March, following similar operations at the Bhalswa and Okhla landfills, which commenced in January after the Supreme Court’s approval last year.

A municipal official confirmed that the work order for Ghazipur will be allocated by Friday, with work beginning in 12-15 days. The process faced delays due to high bidder quotes, but the finalized agency will now charge Rs 395 per tonne instead of Rs 495, reducing the total project cost to Rs 177 crore.

Currently, the Bhalswa contractor processes 8,000 tonnes of legacy waste daily, while Okhla manages 5,000 tonnes. MCD aims to process at least 8,000 tonnes daily at Ghazipur, targeting 30 lakh tonnes, with a potential addition of 15 lakh tonnes if completed on time. Ghazipur holds 45% of Delhi’s total 160 lakh tonnes of legacy waste.

BJP's Virendraa Sachdeva targets AAP MLA ‘on run’

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva on Wednesday accused Okhla’s AAP MLA, Amanatullah Khan, of having a "criminal nature" and repeatedly attempting to manipulate the law. Sachdeva's remarks followed reports of a police search for Khan, who has been booked for allegedly leading an attack on officers in Jamia Nagar. According to the FIR, Khan obstructed police duties, manhandled officers, and aided an accused’s escape.

The question about the future of the INDIA alliance concerns everyone, says Congress MP Imran Masood

"The question about the future of the INDIA alliance concerns everyone. It cannot happen that you will suppress Congress. The regional parties want Congress to stay on the back foot. We take everyone along regarding the national agenda, but we cannot dissolve our party," he said.

Waterlogging, central schemes in focus: Departments to ready 100-day plan

Even before the new BJP government takes charge in the city, officials have already shifted into work mode. Departments have been instructed to draft a 100-day action plan aligned with the Viksit Delhi Sankalp Patra, 2025. The chief secretary has directed all departments to set clear targets, outlining goals to be achieved within 15 days, on a monthly basis, and over the full 100-day period.

AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan claims Delhi Police framing him in false case

AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan on Wednesday denied being on the run and alleged that the Delhi Police was framing him in a false case. In a letter sent to Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora via email, the Okhla MLA claimed that he was in his constituency and not on the run.

"Some people in the Delhi Police are implicating me in a false case. The person whom the Delhi Police had come to arrest is (out) on bail. The police are implicating me in a false case to hide its mistake," Amanatullah Khan said in the letter dated February 12.

The AAP MLA said he was informed on Monday about some non-functioning temporary pumps installed in the area and had reached the spot.

He soon received information that some people in plainclothes, who claimed that they were from the police, were harassing a person.

"I was asked to save that person who, I was told, was a resident of the area. I do not have any close relations with that person. When I asked the locals, I got to know that those people (in plainclothes) were threatening him," Amanatullah Khan said in the letter in Hindi.

BJP's internal tussle delaying appointment of Delhi CM, affecting governance: AAP

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) raised concerns on Wednesday about the BJP's internal conflicts causing delays in appointing Delhi's chief minister and impacting city governance. The BJP, which emerged victorious in recent Delhi Assembly elections, has not provided an immediate response.

According to an official AAP statement, the party's chief spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar pointed out that numerous areas were experiencing extended power outages due to BJP's lack of action.

"It has been several days since the election results were announced, yet the BJP has not been able to decide on a chief minister. Meanwhile, Delhi's residents are suffering from prolonged power cuts.

"Why should the people of Delhi bear the brunt of the BJP's internal fight?" Kakkar said.

Kakkar additionally stated that internal divisions within the BJP were preventing agreement on selecting the next chief minister. "Their leaders are meeting in small groups, unable to decide who will lead. They are busy fighting among themselves but the people of Delhi should not have to suffer," she said.

Congress-AAP should have fought Delhi polls together, their unity strongly needed: Amartya Sen

Expressing the necessity for collaboration between the Congress and the Aam Admi Party (AAP), Nobel Prize winner Professor Amartya Sen emphasised that both parties should have contested the Delhi polls jointly with mutually agreed principles. In an exclusive conversation with PTI at his ancestral residence in West Bengal's Birbhum district, Sen additionally highlighted that the preservation of Indian secularism requires not just unity but also consensus on elements that have established India as an outstanding model of pluralism.

"I don't think the result of the Delhi elections should be exaggerated, but it certainly has its significance. And if the AAP had won there, that victory would have carried its own weight," Sen told PTI.

The distinguished economist analysed the causes of AAP's defeat, pointing to the absence of solidarity amongst groups opposing a Hindutva-focused administration in Delhi. "If you look at the numbers in many seats, the margin of BJP's advantage over the AAP was less, sometimes far less, than the votes that the Congress received," he said.

'All is not well in Punjab, there's protest against Kejriwal': BJP spokesperson RP Singh

Following AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal's meeting with Punjab party members, BJP National Spokesperson RP Singh on Wednesday claimed there was unrest in CM Bhagwant Mann's administration, particularly in the aftermath of Kejriwal's recent Delhi Assembly election defeat.

In his conversation with ANI, the BJP leader highlighted that amongst the 94 MLAs summoned for the Delhi meeting, four were notably absent.

"It is very clear that all is not well in Punjab. There is a protest against Arvind Kejriwal especially after he lost elections in Delhi. 94 MLAs were called to the meeting but four MLAs did not come to the meeting. One MLA openly demanded to remove Bhagwant Mann from the CM post," RP Singh said.

Delhi CM Candidate Live: 'BJP a workers-based party, national leadership to nominate Delhi CM', says Praveen Khandelwal

Amid suspense over the Chief Minister's face in Delhi, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Praveen Khandelwal emphasised on Wednesday that the BJP is a workers-based party and in the case of Delhi, the leadership will nominate one dedicated worker who will lead Delhi to become a world-class city.

"BJP is a workers-based party. Whenever such a situation arises the party's national leadership takes the decision. In the case of Delhi, it is the same. BJP aims to make Delhi a world-class city. The national leadership of the party will nominate one dedicated BJP worker who will lead Delhi," Khandelwal told ANI.

The party secured a landslide victory in the Delhi Assembly election results which was declared on February 8. The BJP won a two-thirds majority, while the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) suffered major setbacks, witnessing a drastic reduction in its numbers in the 70-member assembly. Whereas, the Congress continued its dismal electoral performance.

The party is yet to announce its chief ministerial candidate to lead the Delhi assembly, as the party emerged victorious in the national capital. The last BJP government in Delhi was from 1993 to 1998.

Delhi CM Candidate Announcement Live: 'BJP unable to decide who will become chief minister, fighting among themselves,' says AAP

AAP spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar said, "These are direct signs of groupism (in BJP). Factions are coming together in groups of 10 because they (BJP) are unable to decide who will become the CM of Delhi. They are fighting among themselves, but why should the people of Delhi suffer in this fight?... We are having continuous meetings...Arvind Kejriwal is meeting the organisation..."

Delhi CM Candidate Live: BJP National Spokesperson, RP Singh claims, 'one MLA openly demanded to remove Bhagwant Mann from CM post'

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday dismissed claims by Congress and BJP of unrest brewing among AAP MLAs, tamping down speculation that the ripples from AAP's Delhi debacle may pose a risk to his govt.

Talking to reporters after the surprise move of party boss Arvind Kejriwal to summon Punjab CM, ministers, MPs and MLAs to Delhi, Mann took on Congress and said "switching sides is Congress's culture" and reminded Partap Singh Bajwa, the leader of opposition in Punjab, that his party drew a blank in Delhi.

Ahead of the meeting, which AAP said was attended by all 92 Punjab MLAs, Bajwa had alleged that the party was preparing the ground to oust Mann from the CM's post. He had also claimed that over 30 AAP MLAs were in touch with his party.

Delhi CM Candidate Announcement Live: Delhi BJP MLAs meet party president JP Nadda

Many newly-elected Delhi BJP MLAs met party's national president J P Nadda on Tuesday in what was described as a courtesy meeting amid continuing suspense over who will be the next chief minister.

Several MLAs said after the meeting that no discussion over the legislature party meeting or likely chief ministerial choices occurred in the meeting.

As they had been wanting to meet Nadda following the party's big win over the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the Delhi Assembly polls, they were asked to see him at his office in the Parliament building, the MLAs said. The legislature party is likely to meet after Prime Minister Narendra Modi returns sfrom his visit to France and the US.

'Kejriwal finding ways to become Punjab CM': BJP's Manjinder Sirsa attacks AAP chief

BJP's victorious candidate, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, from the Rajouri Garden seat, took a swipe at AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, accusing him of sowing dissent within the party to further his own ambitions of becoming Punjab's chief minister.

In response to rumors of unrest among AAP Punjab MLAs, Sirsa claimed that Kejriwal's true goal was to undermine the leadership of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, particularly regarding issues like drugs and corruption, in an attempt to portray Mann's leadership as ineffective.

Sirsa also addressed comments made by Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva about the Sheesh Mahal, saying that revealing the opulence of the property would expose the corruption of former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.

Delhi CM Candidate Announcement Live: Delhi's next CM to be decided by BJP leadership, says Harsh Malhotra

Union minister Harsh Malhotra stated on Monday that the decision regarding Delhi's next chief minister will be made by the BJP's legislative party and parliamentary board, emphasizing that the leader will be selected from within the party. Speaking to ANI, Malhotra said, "Delhi's chief minister will be decided through the legislative party meeting and the parliamentary board’s decision. He can be anyone, but he will be a BJP member."

In a sharp remark aimed at AAP and its leader Arvind Kejriwal, Malhotra added, "Arvind Kejriwal can do whatever he wants, but the people of Delhi have spoken through their mandate. AAP did nothing for Delhi, which is why the people voted them out. The same is happening in Punjab, where they are failing to deliver."

Haryana CM Saini meets with JP Nadda, greets him on Delhi poll win for BJP

Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini visited BJP National President JP Nadda in the national capital on Tuesday to congratulate him on the BJP's sweeping victory in the Delhi Assembly elections.

The BJP secured 48 out of 70 seats, marking its return to power in Delhi after 27 years. In contrast, AAP won only 22 seats, down from 62 in 2020. CM Saini described the visit as a "courtesy visit."

Delhi Polls Live Updates: 'Ever since Kejriwal faced defeat in Delhi, he is planning to go to Punjab,' claims Swati Maliwal

"Some people have started treating Punjab as their personal ATM. Today, massive corruption is rampant in Punjab. There is blatant sand mining at different places, corruption is there in transfer postings. People of Punjab and several MLAs are angry on this. Arvind Kejriwal has appointed his goon Bibhav Kumar as the chief advisor of Punjab CM. Ever since Arvind Kejriwal has faced defeat in Delhi, he is planning to go to Punjab to keep his politics alive," Swati Maliwal said.

Delhi polls Live: All Punjab MLAs attend Delhi meet after Bhagwant Mann asserts AAP united

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday dismissed claims from Congress and BJP about growing unrest among AAP MLAs, downplaying speculation that the fallout from AAP's defeat in Delhi could threaten his government.

Speaking to reporters after the unexpected decision by party leader Arvind Kejriwal to summon Punjab’s CM, ministers, MPs, and MLAs to Delhi, Mann criticized Congress, stating that "switching sides is Congress's culture." He also reminded Partap Singh Bajwa, the leader of opposition in Punjab, that his party had failed to secure any seats in Delhi.