Rekha Gupta Set to Become Delhi's Fourth Woman Chief Minister

Agartala, Feb 19, 2025, By Our Correspondent with inputs from internet, agencies150

The prolonged suspense over the identity of Delhi’s next Chief Minister finally ended on Wednesday evening when first-time MLA Rekha Gupta was unanimously chosen as the leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislature party. With this development, she is now set to assume office as Delhi’s fourth woman Chief Minister.

Gupta, who represents the Shalimar Bagh constituency, was elected as the legislature party leader in a crucial meeting held at the BJP’s state office on Pant Marg. The meeting was presided over by two central observers—former Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and BJP National Secretary Om Prakash Dhankhar—who were appointed to oversee the selection process.

As the BJP legislators convened, speculation had been rife about the possibility of a woman MLA being chosen to lead the government. With her selection, Gupta follows in the footsteps of previous women Chief Ministers of Delhi: Sushma Swaraj (BJP), Sheila Dikshit (Congress), and Atishi (AAP).

Even before the official announcement was made, celebrations had already begun at Gupta’s residence. Supporters gathered to cheer her selection, highlighting her political journey from being the Delhi University Students Union President to serving as a municipal councillor before entering the state Assembly.

Following her election by BJP legislators, Gupta is expected to visit Raj Niwas, where she will formally meet Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena and stake her claim to form the next government. Once the formalities are completed, preparations will begin for her swearing-in ceremony, which is scheduled to take place at Delhi’s iconic Ramlila Maidan at noon tomorrow.

The grand oath-taking ceremony will be attended by top leaders of the BJP, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, alongside Lieutenant Governor Saxena. Over 200 BJP MPs and MLAs, as well as religious leaders and dignitaries from allied parties, are also expected to be present. A special gathering of auto-rickshaw drivers, taxi drivers, and slum dwellers—key voter bases in the capital—is being organized to mark the event.

According to the official schedule, the ceremony will commence at 11:00 a.m., with Gupta taking the oath of office and secrecy at precisely 12:05 p.m. Lieutenant Governor Saxena will administer the oath, officially inducting Gupta into her new role as Chief Minister.

The selection of Delhi’s new Chief Minister had been kept under tight wraps, with party insiders attributing the delay in the announcement to Prime Minister Modi’s recent foreign visits to France and the United States.

Gupta’s elevation to the top post comes as the BJP celebrates a resounding victory in the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections. The party secured 48 seats in the 70-member Assembly, marking a major comeback after being out of power in the capital since 1998. The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was reduced to just 22 seats, signaling a significant shift in the political landscape of Delhi.

With Rekha Gupta’s leadership, the BJP now prepares to form its government, bringing a new era of governance to the national capital.