The BJP named first-time MLA Rekha Gupta as the new chief minister of Delhi. She was chosen as the leader of the house in the Delhi Assembly at the BJP legislature party meeting. Parvesh Verma, who defeated AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, will be the deputy CM. 

Gupta will be the fourth woman chief minister of Delhi after Sushma Swaraj, Sheila Dikshit and Atishi. More importantly, she will be the only woman chief minister among the states being ruled by the BJP.

The party has returned to power in Delhi after over 26 years, ending the 10-year rule of the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP.

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Gupta and her Cabinet ministers will take the oath of office at the Ramlila Ground on Thursday. The 50-year-old leader won from Shalimar Bagh, defeating AAP candidate Bandana Kumari by over 29,000 votes in the February 5 Assembly polls, PTI reported.

All 48 newly-elected BJP MLAs attended the legislature party meeting in the presence of Central observers Ravi Shankar Prasad and OP Dhankar. Verma, Vijender Gupta and Satish Upadhyay proposed Gupta's name.

The announcement came 11 days after the results of the Delhi Assembly polls were declared on February 8. The CM-designate will now meet Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena at Raj Niwas to stake a claim in forming a BJP-led government in Delhi.

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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."

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Gupta is a former president of the Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) and civic body councillor. The Law graduate of Delhi University entered politics as an Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) member in 1992. Gupta is also the national vice president of BJP Mahila Morcha and a member of the party's national executive.

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