BJP names Rekha Gupta Delhi chief minister, oath ceremony set for Thursday at Ramlila Maidan

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday appointed Rekha Gupta as the next chief minister of Delhi following a key legislative party meeting. Gupta, who secured a decisive victory in the recently concluded assembly elections from Shalimar Bagh, will take the oath of office on Thursday at Ramlila Maidan.
A seasoned BJP leader, Gupta has held several key positions within the party. She previously served as the general secretary and president of the Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) and is a member of the party’s national executive. Her political journey includes two successful terms as a councillor, representing Uttari Pitampura in 2007 and North Pitampura in 2012.
Gupta’s rise to the chief ministerial post follows her triumph over AAP's Bandana Kumari by a margin of 29,595 votes.
The BJP announced its chief ministerial candidate at the last moment as part of its political strategy. Several names were in contention for the post, including Parvesh Verma, Vijender Gupta, Harish Khurana and Shikha Roy. There was also speculation about nominating MPs such as Manoj Tiwari and Bansuri Swaraj for the position.

Preparations are in full swing as the BJP returns to power in Delhi after a 27-year gap, having secured victory in the February 5 assembly elections. The party ended its exile by defeating the Aam Aadmi Party, marking a significant political comeback.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah, BJP-ruled state chief ministers, NDA leaders, Union ministers, and other prominent figures are expected to attend the ceremony, according to party sources.
In the results declared on February 8, the BJP secured 48 seats, significantly weakening AAP, which saw its representation drop below one-third of the total seats. The party also claimed major wins by defeating key AAP leaders, including former chief minister and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal in New Delhi, Manish Sisodia in Jangpura, and Saurabh Bharadwaj in Greater Kailash.
In the 2020 elections, AAP had won 62 seats, while BJP managed only 8. In 2015, AAP secured a landslide victory with 67 seats, leaving BJP with just 3. This election saw a direct contest between BJP and AAP, while Congress remained on the sidelines, failing to win a single seat for the third consecutive time.
The BJP recorded a significant increase in vote share, rising from 38.5% in 2020 to 45.56% in 2025. Meanwhile, AAP’s vote share declined from 53.6% to 43.57%, signalling a major shift in Delhi’s political landscape.