The Delhi government will be led by a woman Chief Minister again as the BJP zeroed in Rekha Gupta, its first-time MLA from Shalimar Bagh, for the Chief Minister’s post. The decision was taken at a meeting of the party’s legislature party this evening. Ms Gupta succeeds Aam Aadmi Party’s Atishi after the BJP ended the 10-year-rule of Arvind Kejriwal’s party in the recently concluded assembly election. 

The formal announcement came from the X handle of the Delhi BJP.

“Hearty congratulations and best wishes to Mrs. Rekha Gupta ji on being elected the leader of the Delhi BJP Legislative Party. We have full faith that the state will progress under your leadership,” read a rough translation of their Hindi post. 

The legislators are now on way to the Lieutenant Governor’s house, where Ms Gupta will formally stake claim to form government. Sources said she will have a six-member council.

The BJP’s last Chief Minister in Delhi was also a woman, Sushma Swaraj, who was in the top post for 52 days in 1998. She was succeeded by the Congress’s Sheila Dikshit, who headed the Congress government in the national capital for three full terms.
 
Among the first to congratulate the new Chief Minister today was Atishi, who offered to help if needed. 

Congratulations also flowed in from women leaders of the BJP – Alka Lamba and Kiran Bedi. 
 

Rekha Gupta, a former president of the Delhi University Students’ Union, is the fourth woman Chief Minister of Delhi, the BJP announced Wednesday evening, ending a nearly two-week suspense.

BJP’s Sushma Swaraj, Congress’ Sheila Dikshit, and Aam Aadmi Party’s Atishi have been other women chief ministers of Delhi. 

The 50-year-old, who is a first-time MLA from Shalimar Bagh, defeated AAP candidate Bandna Kumari by over 29,000 votes in the February 5 Assembly polls. Mr Gupta will take oath at a grand swearing-in ceremony at the city’s iconic Ramlila Maidan at noon tomorrow. 

The BJP won 48 seats in the polls, returning to power in the national capital after 27 years.  

Rekha Gupta, a first-time MLA from Shalimar Bagh, will be the new Chief Minister of Delhi, announced BJP – which returned to power in the national capital after 26 years – this evening. “Committed to taking Delhi to new heights,” said Ms Gupta as she pledged to work with “full honesty, integrity and dedication for the welfare, empowerment and overall development of every citizen of Delhi”. 

Ms Gupta – who was chosen as the Leader of the House in the Delhi Assembly at the BJP legislature party meeting – will take the oath of office at the Ramlila Ground tomorrow.