Delhi’s wait for a new chief minister has ended with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announcing Rekha Gupta as the leader of the House. She is set to take the oath of office on February 20 in a grand ceremony at Ramlila Maidan.
Gupta becomes the fourth woman to hold the chief ministerial post in Delhi, following in the footsteps of Sushma Swaraj, Sheila Dikshit, and Atishi.
The decision was made on Wednesday evening during a meeting of all newly elected BJP MLAs at the party headquarters in New Delhi.
Expressing gratitude to the party leadership for entrusting her with the role, Gupta vowed to serve with honesty and dedication.
“I sincerely thank the top leadership for placing their trust in me. This faith has given me new motivation and energy. I pledge to work with complete integrity and commitment for the welfare, empowerment, and overall progress of every Delhi citizen. I am dedicated to utilizing this opportunity to elevate Delhi to greater heights,” she posted on X (formerly Twitter).
BJP leaders confirmed that the entire cabinet would take the oath along with the chief minister on Thursday.
Grand Swearing-In Ceremony at Ramlila Maidan
The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m., with Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena administering the oath to Gupta and her cabinet at 12:35 p.m. The event is expected to draw a large crowd, with around 40 celebrities invited, sources revealed.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Minister Amit Shah, and chief ministers from several BJP-ruled states will be present at the grand event. BJP MP Yogender Chandolia stated that approximately 50,000 attendees—including party workers, members of resident welfare associations (RWA), saints, and representatives from various communities—would be invited.
“This will be a grand occasion, attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior leaders. The event is expected to last around 25-30 minutes,” Chandolia said.
He explained that Ramlila Maidan was chosen as the venue because it could accommodate a large number of people eager to witness the historic event, unlike Raj Niwas, which has limited space.
BJP’s Historic Comeback in Delhi
The BJP’s return to power in Delhi marks the end of a 27-year absence. The party secured a decisive victory in the recent assembly elections, winning 48 out of 70 seats.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which had governed the capital for over a decade, was reduced to just 22 seats, while the Congress failed to win any.
Gupta, who won from the Shalimar Bagh constituency, secured a significant victory against AAP’s Bandana Kumari, defeating her by over 29,000 votes in the February 5 Assembly elections.
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