BJP picks 1st-time MLA Rekha; to be Delhi’s fourth woman CM

Debutant lawmaker Rekha Gupta trumped BJP heavyweights to become the Delhi Chief Minister after 48 MLAs unanimously elected her the legislature party leader at a meeting here on Wednesday.

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Rekha (50), a native of Nandgarh village in Jind district of Haryana, is a first-time MLA from the Shalimar Bagh constituency of Delhi, a former Delhi University Student Union chief and a long-standing RSS worker.

With this development, India got its second woman CM after West Bengal’s Mamata Banerjee of the Trinamool Congress and Delhi got its fourth woman CM after Sushma Swaraj (BJP), late Sheila Dikshit (Congress) and Atishi (AAP). Rekha will also be the only woman CM in any of the states currently being ruled by the BJP.

After the election at Delhi BJP headquarters here, she went to meet Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena and staked claim to form the government. She will be sworn in on Thursday at a mega event in Ramlila Grounds where PM Narendra Modi and the top BJP brass will be in attendance along with senior NDA leaders.

Rekha will take oath as the ninth CM of Delhi. “I express my heartfelt gratitude to the entire top leadership for having faith and giving me the responsibility of the CM’s post. This trust and support of yours has given me new energy and inspiration. I pledge that I will work with full honesty, integrity and dedication for the welfare, empowerment and overall development of every citizen of Delhi. I am committed to this opportunity to take Delhi to new heights,” she posted on X after her election in the presence of BJP central observers — former minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and former Haryana BJP chief OP Dhankar. Rekha was accompanied to the L-G office by senior party leaders Prasad, Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva, BJP Delhi in-charge Baijayant Jay Panda and MPs.

Home Minister Amit Shah, the principal strategist for the Delhi poll win of the BJP, congratulated her. The BJP had clinched 48 of the 70 seats relegating AAP to a distant second with 22 MLAs.

“I extend my hearty congratulations and best wishes to Rekha Gupta... I have full faith that you will work with dedication in the direction of the resolution taken by PM Modi to make Delhi one of the top capitals of the world,” Shah said. Arvind Kejriwal said his party would support the CM. “Many congratulations to Rekha Gupta ji. I hope that she will fulfil all promises made to the people of Delhi. We will support her in every work for the development and welfare of the people of Delhi,” he said. —TNS