"I Want To Assure People Of Delhi...": 'Giant-Slayer' Parvesh Verma To NDTV

The BJP's Parvesh Verma has given a key assurance to the people of Delhi in his first exclusive interview after emerging as a "giant slayer" who defeated Arvind Kejriwal in the Delhi assembly elections. Speaking to NDTV after his party appeared set for a huge comeback in the national capital, he assured that the BJP will form a government in Delhi that will work together with the central government.

Mr Verma appeared with a smile on Saturday afternoon with his focus set on the incoming government. He congratulated the people of Delhi and credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief JP Nadda, and Union Home Minister for the victory.

Read: Parvesh Verma Emerges "Giant-Killer" After Defeating Arvind Kejriwal

"Trusting these figures, the people of Delhi have given us this mandate. I want to assure the people that a government will be formed in Delhi that works together with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the central government," Mr Verma told NDTV.

The contest appears over with BJP offices starting to celebrate their return to power in the national capital after 27 years. The next challenge for the BJP is choosing the leader of its legislature party, who will become the Chief Minister of Delhi.

Asked if he sees himself in that role, Mr Verma said, "In BJP, the chief minister is chosen by the legislature party and the leadership. You will get to know who will get that post."

Read: Giant Slayer, 1st-Time MP: One Of These Leaders Could Be Delhi Chief Minister

Mr Verma, who had twice won the national elections but was a surprise exclusion from last year's elections, had been at the forefront of the BJP's offensive against the AAP. He faced numerous allegations of model code violations from the AAP, but did not budge. In the run-up to the elections, the AAP accused him of orchestrating an attack on Arvind Kejriwal and distributing money to voters.

The BJP leader had won the 2013 assembly elections from Mehrauli and went on to win the parliamentary elections by a record margin in 2014 and 2019 from West Delhi. He did not get a ticket for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, but the BJP's choice of fielding him against Mr Kejriwal in the assembly polls turned out to be a turning point in his career.

Read: 'Sheesh Mahal' To Liquor Case: Big Factors Behind AAP's Delhi Setback

One of the BJP's hundreds of MPs in the previous term, Mr Verma stood out due to his controversies. During the protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) in Delhi, his inflammatory remarks against the minorities shot him into the limelight.

During the 2020 election campaign, he had infamously claimed that he would clear the iconic anti-CAA protest site in Shaheen Bagh within an hour if the BJP came to power. He had also accused the protesters - primarily Muslims - of being a threat to Hindu families and said they will enter houses and rape the women.

Two years later, he had called for a "total boycott" of the Muslim community to "set them straight".