Rekha Gupta of the Bharatiya Janata Party was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Delhi during a ceremony at Ramlila Maidan, making her the BJP’s fourth CM and the second woman in the role. Following previous leaders Sushma Swaraj, Sheila Dikshit, and Atishi, she represents a significant political figure. Gupta, a first-time MLA from Shalimar Bagh, expressed her commitment to improving Delhi and serving its citizens with integrity. Six cabinet members, including Parvesh Verma, who defeated AAP’s Arvind Kejriwal, were also sworn in, with Vijender Gupta returning as the new Speaker of the Delhi Assembly.
New Delhi:
The Bharatiya Janata Party’s Rekha Gupta was sworn in on Thursday afternoon as the Chief Minister of Delhi during an elaborate oath-taking ceremony at the city’s Ramlila Maidan.
Ms. Gupta is the BJP’s fourth Chief Minister for Delhi and the second woman to achieve this position. She is also the fourth woman overall to serve as Chief Minister of Delhi, following Sushma Swaraj from the BJP, Sheila Dikshit from the Congress, and Atishi from the AAP, her immediate predecessor.
Alongside her, six colleagues from her party were inducted into the cabinet, including Parvesh Verma, known as the ‘giant-killer’ after defeating AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal in the New Delhi constituency, and was considered a leading candidate for the Chief Minister’s role.
Mr. Verma took his oath second, right after Ms. Gupta, who was sworn in with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and BJP President JP Nadda in attendance, along with other chief ministers from states governed by the party and its allies, including Andhra Pradesh’s N Chandrababu Naidu.
The event was also attended by senior members of the union cabinet such as Rajnath Singh and Hardeep Singh Puri, along with representatives from the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.
Along with Mr. Verma, Kapil Sharma, Manjinder Sirsa, Ashish Sood, Pankaj Kumar Singh, and Ravinder Indraj Singh were also sworn in to the new cabinet, which still has space for three additional ministers.
READ | Parvesh Verma, Kapil Mishra In Rekha Gupta’s 6-Member Council
The BJP has appointed former Leader of the Opposition, Vijender Gupta, as the new Speaker of the Delhi Assembly. Mr. Gupta returns to the Assembly a decade after being physically removed by marshals during a conflict with AAP representatives.
READ | Thrown Out, Literally, In 2015, BJP’s Vijender Gupta Now Speaker
Ms. Gupta, a first-time MLA representing Shalimar Bagh, a seat she secured from the AAP’s Bandana Kumari who held it since 2013, was an unexpected choice for the top role.
READ | “Came To Know When Parvesh Verma…”: Rekha Gupta On CM News
Her appointment was confirmed late Wednesday following meetings of the BJP’s Parliamentary Board led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the party’s new MLAs.
The meetings were postponed by nearly two weeks after the election results, as the party took time to deliberate and awaited Mr. Modi’s return from his trips to France and the United States.
READ | “Committed To Taking Delhi To New Heights”: Rekha Gupta
In her initial comments after her nomination as Chief Minister, Ms. Gupta expressed her commitment to “elevating Delhi to new heights” and promised to work “with complete honesty, integrity, and dedication for the welfare, empowerment, and overall development of every citizen of Delhi”.
She extended her gratitude to the Prime Minister and the BJP’s leadership for their trust in her.
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