Rekha Gupta Elected as Delhi's Fourth Female CM, Commits to Serve with Integrity and Devotion

New Delhi, Feb 19 (NationPress) The prolonged uncertainty regarding ‘who will assume the role of the next Chief Minister of Delhi’ concluded on Wednesday evening as first-time MLA Rekha Gupta was appointed as the leader of the BJP legislative party, clearing her path to the position.

Gupta, representing Shalimar Bagh, was selected during a meeting of the BJP legislative party held at the state party office on Pant Marg that evening, overseen by two central observers – former Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and BJP National Secretary Om Prakash Dhankhar.

As the meeting commenced to elect the BJP legislative party leader, there was significant speculation about a female legislator stepping into the role. This speculation was confirmed with Gupta’s election, making her the fourth woman Chief Minister of Delhi after Sushma Swaraj (BJP), Sheila Dikshit (Congress), and Atishi (AAP).

“Hearty congratulations and best wishes to Mrs. Rekha Gupta ji on being elected as the leader of the Delhi BJP Legislative Party. We are confident that the state will advance under your leadership,” stated the BJP Delhi unit in a post on their X handle.

Gupta expressed gratitude to the senior BJP leadership for their trust in her.

“I sincerely thank the top leadership for believing in me and entrusting me with the role of Chief Minister. This faith and support have ignited new energy and motivation within me. I vow to work with utmost honesty, commitment, and dedication for the betterment of Delhi's residents. I am committed to the crucial responsibility of elevating Delhi to new heights,” Gupta mentioned in a post on X.

Union Ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, and Nirmala Sitharaman, along with outgoing Delhi CM Atishi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, were among those who congratulated the CM-designate.

‘Giant-killer’ Parvesh Verma, son of former Chief Minister Sahib Singh Verma and victor over AAP convenor and former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the New Delhi seat, will serve as the Deputy Chief Minister.

Veteran BJP leader Vijendra Gupta, who held the position of Leader of the Opposition in the previous Assembly, is expected to be the new Speaker.

Even before her name was announced, celebrations erupted at Gupta’s residence, a former Delhi University Students Union President and municipal councillor.

Following her selection by the BJP legislators, Gupta is set to visit the Raj Niwas, where she will meet Lt. Governor V.K. Saxena and claim the formation of the next government.

The new Chief Minister will take the oath during a grand ceremony at the iconic Ramlila Maidan at noon tomorrow. She will be sworn in by Lt. Governor Saxena, amidst the presence of senior BJP leaders and representatives from allied parties. A diverse audience including car drivers, auto drivers, and slum-dwellers will be present at the event.

The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 12.34 p.m., with the Chief Minister’s oath-taking set for 12.05 p.m. Numerous key political figures, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, along with over 200 BJP MPs and MLAs, and invited religious leaders, are expected to attend.

The identity of the new Chief Minister remained a closely guarded secret until now, likely due to delays caused by the Prime Minister’s trips to France and the United States.

The BJP, which has been out of power in Delhi since 1998, achieved a decisive victory in the 2025 Assembly elections, securing 48 seats in the 70-member Assembly while reducing the AAP to 22.