Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Feb 19: The suspense over Delhi’s next chief minister ended on Wednesday evening with first-time MLA Rekha Gupta being elected as the leader of the BJP legislature party, paving the way for her to assume the post.
Gupta, the MLA from Shalimar Bagh, was chosen at a meeting of the BJP legislature party held at the state party office on Pant Marg under the supervision of central observers, former union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and BJP national secretary Om Prakash Dhankhar.
Speculation was rife that a woman legislator might be given the post, and it proved true with the election of Gupta, who will be Delhi’s fourth woman chief minister after Sushma Swaraj (BJP), Sheila Dikshit (Congress), and Atishi (AAP).
"Hearty congratulations and best wishes to Rekha Gupta on being elected the leader of the Delhi BJP legislature party. We have full faith that the state will progress under your leadership," the BJP Delhi unit posted on X in Hindi.
Gupta expressed gratitude to the BJP leadership for reposing faith in her.
"I sincerely thank the top leadership for entrusting me with the responsibility of chief minister. This faith has given me new energy and motivation. I pledge to work with total honesty, commitment, and dedication for the welfare of Delhi’s residents. I am fully committed to the significant responsibility of taking Delhi to new heights," she stated on X in Hindi.
Union ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, and Nirmala Sitharaman, outgoing Delhi chief minister Atishi, and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath were among those who congratulated her.
Parvesh Verma, son of former chief minister Sahib Singh Verma and the BJP candidate who defeated AAP convenor and former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal in the New Delhi constituency, will be the deputy chief minister.
Veteran BJP leader Vijendra Gupta, who was the leader of the opposition in the outgoing assembly, is likely to be the new speaker.
Even before the official announcement, celebrations had begun at Gupta’s residence. A former Delhi University Students’ Union president and municipal councillor, she will now head to Raj Niwas to meet lieutenant governor VK Saxena and stake claim to form the government.
Swearing-in ceremony at Ramlila Maidan
Gupta will take the oath of office at a grand swearing-in ceremony at Ramlila Maidan at noon on February 20. Lieutenant governor VK Saxena will administer the oath in the presence of senior BJP leaders and leaders of allied parties.
The event, scheduled from 11 am to 12.34 pm, will see the chief minister taking the oath at 12.05 pm. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, home minister Amit Shah, over 200 BJP MPs and MLAs, and invited religious leaders are expected to attend.
The BJP’s return to power in Delhi comes after 26 years. The party secured a decisive victory in the 2025 assembly elections, winning 48 seats in the 70-member house, reducing AAP to 22.