Rekha Gupta has been selected as the new Chief Minister of Delhi by the BJP, marking a return of a woman leader after 10 years under AAP’s Arvind Kejriwal. Gupta, a first-time MLA from Shalimar Bagh, succeeds Atishi, following the BJP’s victory in the recent assembly elections. The announcement was made via the Delhi BJP’s social media, expressing confidence in her leadership for the state’s progress. Gupta will form a six-member council representing various communities. With a background in student politics and previous municipal roles, Gupta is seen as a choice to minimize factionalism in the party.
New Delhi:
The Delhi government will once again have a woman at the helm, as the BJP has nominated Rekha Gupta, a first-time MLA from Shalimar Bagh, for the Chief Minister’s position. This decision was made during a meeting of the party’s legislature party this evening. Ms. Gupta takes over from Aam Aadmi Party’s Atishi, following the BJP’s victory that ended the decade-long reign of Arvind Kejriwal’s party in the recently held assembly elections.
The official announcement was made via the Delhi BJP’s X account. “Hearty congratulations and best wishes to Mrs. Rekha Gupta ji on being elected the leader of the Delhi BJP Legislative Party. We are confident that the state will flourish under your guidance,” was the translation of their Hindi announcement.
According to sources, she will be supported by a six-member council that includes representatives from all communities that backed the BJP, such as Jata, Baniyas, Punjabis, and Dalits. Six potential members for the Delhi cabinet are currently being discussed: Manjinder Sirsa, Ashish Sood, Pankaj Kumar Singh, Ravinder Singh Indraj, Kapil Mishra, and Pravesh Verma.
“I extend my gratitude to the BJP and appreciate the support from all of you… I am committed to elevate Delhi to new heights,” Ms. Gupta stated to reporters before heading to Raj Bhavan to claim her authority to form the government.
The Leader of the BJP Legislative Party in the Delhi Legislative Assembly, Smt Rekha Gupta, met with Hon’ble LG, Shri V. K. Saxena at Raj Niwas to assert her claim to establish the new Government of NCT of Delhi.
The Hon’ble LG accepted her claim and invited her to form the new government. pic.twitter.com/OYnZyj3gbl
— LG Delhi (@LtGovDelhi) February 19, 2025
The BJP is organizing a grand ceremony for the swearing-in of the new government at the iconic Ramlila Maidan in Delhi tomorrow.
The last female Chief Minister for BJP in Delhi was Sushma Swaraj, who held the position for 52 days in 1998 before being succeeded by Congress’s Sheila Dikshit, who led the Congress government in the capital for three full terms.
For the BJP, this selection signifies more than just a continuity in leadership.
Ms. Gupta was preferred over Parvesh Verma, a strong contender for the role who previously defeated AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal in the New Delhi constituency.
Mr. Verma is the son of Saheb Singh Verma, a former Chief Minister of Delhi. Appointing him as Chief Minister in such a high-profile area might have left the BJP open to opposition claims of nepotism.
There are also expectations that the choice of a first-time MLA may help mitigate factionalism within the party at the state level—a concern that has affected the BJP in various other states.
Atishi was one of the first to congratulate the new Chief Minister today and offered her assistance if needed.
“I offer my heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to Mrs. @gupta_rekha ji on her election as the leader of the BJP Legislative Party. I am confident that you will dedicate your efforts towards fulfilling Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji’s vision of making Delhi one of the top capitals globally. I trust that the BJP government, under your leadership, will work tirelessly to meet the hopes and expectations of the women of Delhi,” was a translated excerpt from a post by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on X.
Ms. Gupta began her political career as a member of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and rose to become the president and general secretary of the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU).
She has served as the general secretary of the BJP Mahila Morcha in Delhi and a member of the party’s national executive committee, and became a councillor from North Pitampura in 2007. Later, she held the role of mayor at the South Delhi Municipal Corporation.