BJP picks Rekha Gupta, a first-time MP, as Delhi chief minister

She and other members of the new cabinet will be sworn in at the Ramlila Maidan on Thursday

Rekha Gupta, a first-time legislator from Shalimar Bagh, has been named the new chief minister of Delhi, as the Bharatiya Janata Party, or BJP, returned to power in the capital after nearly three decades.

The decision, announced at a meeting of the party’s newly elected legislators on Wednesday, came after days of speculation over who would lead the government.

Gupta’s nomination was formally proposed by Parvesh Verma, the BJP leader who toppled Aam Aadmi Party, or AAP, chief Arvind Kejriwal in the New Delhi constituency.

Gupta and her cabinet are set to be sworn in at a ceremony at Ramlila Maidan around 12pm on Thursday.

For weeks, party insiders suggested that the leadership was weighing various factors—including gender representation, caste dynamics, and political experience—before making a decision.

Several names had been floated, with strong indications that the party might select a woman for the post.

The victory marks the party’s return to the helm of the city’s government after 27 years, ending AAP’s 10-year tenure.

In her first remarks after the announcement, Gupta expressed gratitude to her party’s leadership.

“I thank the BJP for its trust in me,” she said.

“I am determined to take Delhi to new heights.”

Indian media outlet NDTV noted that Gupta’s win marks “the beginning of a new chapter” for the BJP.