The suspense over Delhi’s new chief minister ended on Wednesday as the BJP on Wednesday named first-time MLA Rekha Gupta, 50, as the new chief minister of Delhi, marking the BJP’s comeback in the national capital after 27 years.

She will be the fourth chief minister of Delhi after Sushma Swaraj, Sheila Dikshit and Atishi and the only woman chief minister among the states being ruled by the BJP at present.

Gupta is an old Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), hand who was part of the Sangh’s students’ wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the party’s legislature party on Wednesday evening in the presence of Central observers Ravi Shankar Prasad and O P Dhankar where she was chosen as the Leader of the House in the Delhi Assembly.

The new BJP government, led by Gupta, will be sworn in at a grand ceremony at the Ramlila Maidan on Thursday afternoon in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi , Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, chief ministers from the party-ruled states and many celebrities.

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.

After appointed as the Leader of the House of the BJP’s legislative party, Chief Minister designate Gupta alongwith six ministers went to Raj Niwas to stake claim to form the government. She was accompanied by state BJP observers Ravi Shankar Prasad and OP Dhankar along with city BJP president Virendra Sachdeva, and Delhi MPs including Bansuri Swaraj, Praveen Khandelwal and Kamaljeet Sehrawat. BJP national vice-president Baijayant Jay Panda was also present at the Raj Niwas.

Wishes poured in from across the political spectrum for the 50-year-old advocate, with Union ministers and political rivals extending their regards. Union Home Minister Amit Shah congratulated Gupta, backing the BJP government under her leadership to “work day and night to fulfill the hopes and expectations with which the mothers and sisters of Delhi have blessed the BJP”. The senior BJP leader also reposed full faith that she will “work with dedication in the direction of the resolution taken by Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji to make Delhi one of the top capitals of the world”.

Soon after the announcement, Gupta thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said she would work with full honesty, integrity and dedication for the welfare, empowerment and overall development of every citizen of Delhi. “I am fully committed to this important opportunity to take Delhi to new heights,” Gupta said in a post on X. “I express my heartfelt gratitude to all the top leadership for trusting me and entrusting me with the responsibility of the post of chief minister. This trust and support of yours has given me new energy and inspiration.”

Former MP Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma, who had defeated AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal from New Delhi seat, is set to become the Deputy Chief Minister, and Rohini MLA Vijender Gupta was appointed as speaker of the Delhi Assembly, BJP sources said.

By choosing her as the Delhi CM over other prominent faces, including giant-slayer Parvesh Verma, the BJP might be trying to score on multiple fronts. By appointing Gupta as the Delhi Chief Minister, the BJP is trying to build on the legacy of women chief ministers, and showing AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal’s stint as a contrast and aberration.

Choosing Rekha Gupta as the CM also conforms to the BJP’s priority for women in electoral politics and policies. Women in Delhi voted more than men in the 2025 Assembly elections. Women voter turnout stood at 60.92%, while men were at 60.21%. Gupta’s appointment aligns with BJP’s ongoing emphasis on increasing female representation in politics. By selecting her as Delhi Chief Minister, the BJP has opted for a non-controversial politician, a woman leader, and a fresh face. She is known for the slogan “Kaam hi Pehchaan” (my work is my identity), which she uses in her campaigns to highlight her accomplishments.

The BJP ended the decade-long rule of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) by winning 48 seats in the 70-member House. The Aam Aadmi Party managed to win only 22 seats and lost key seats including Arvind Kejriwal’s New Delhi constituency and Manish Sisodia’s Jangpura.

As BJP convened for the legislature party meeting, senior BJP leaders including Vijendra Gupta, Satish Upadhyay and Parvesh Verma have been called for a separate meeting with incharge Alka Gurjar, sources said. Her name was proposed by senior party leaders Parvesh Verma, Vijender Gupta and Satish Upadhyay.

Large crowds of BJP workers have gathered outside the party office ahead of today’s legislative party meeting, where the name of the Delhi CM will be finalised.

The 50-year-old leader, won from Shalimar Bagh, defeating AAP candidate Bandna Kumari by over 29,000 votes in the February 5 Assembly polls. She enjoys close ties with the RSS and is actively engaged with women-related matters. Gupta is also the national vice president of BJP Mahila Morcha and a member of the party’s national executive.

Gupta, a former president and general secretary of the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) has served as the general secretary of the BJP Mahila Morcha in Delhi and as a member of the party’s national executive committee.

She started her political journey with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) at Daulat Ram College, Delhi University, in 1992. In 1996-97, she became president of the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU), where she actively raised student-related issues.

Elected as a councillor from North Pitampura in 2007, she worked on enhancing public amenities such as libraries, parks, and swimming pools. She was re-elected in 2012 and later served as the mayor of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), further building her administrative experience. She was re-elected in 2012 and later served as the mayor of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), further building her administrative experience. Gupta also launched the “Sumedha Yojana” to help economically weaker female students pursue higher education. As head of the Women Welfare and Child Development Committee, she worked on initiatives for women’s empowerment.

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.

Meanwhile, preparations are in full swing for a grand swearing-in ceremony of the new government at Ramleela Ground on Thursday afternoon. Around 50,000 people, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his cabinet colleagues and the chief minister of NDA ruled states among other guests, will attend the ceremony. The ceremony is expected to begin at 11 am. Lt Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena will administer the oath of office to Rekha Gupta and the cabinet at 12.35 pm.