Thu Feb 20 07:13:06 UTC 2025: ## BJP’s Rekha Gupta Unexpectedly Appointed Delhi Chief Minister
**New Delhi:** In a surprise move, Rekha Gupta, a first-time MLA, has been sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Delhi. Her appointment, announced late Wednesday night, followed a meeting of newly elected BJP legislators. While widely speculated that Parvesh Verma, who defeated Arvind Kejriwal in the New Delhi constituency, would assume the role, it was Verma himself who nominated Gupta.
Gupta, who won the Shalimar Bagh seat, expressed her astonishment at her selection, stating she had no prior knowledge of her appointment until Verma proposed her name. Her victory marks a significant win for the BJP, wresting the seat from AAP’s Bandana Kumari who held it since 2013.
In her first address, Gupta outlined her priorities for Delhi, focusing on tackling corruption—a key campaign promise against the outgoing AAP government. She pledged to account for every penny of alleged corruption under previous administrations and vowed to work with honesty and integrity for the welfare of all Delhi citizens. She also committed to meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s expectations.
The swearing-in ceremony, which took place at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan, was attended by Prime Minister Modi and other NDA allies, alongside a diverse range of guests including auto-rickshaw drivers, farmers, and women—voter demographics previously considered a stronghold of the AAP. Gupta’s cabinet includes six ministers, with Verma among them. The BJP’s wide-ranging guest list signified an attempt to reach out to all segments of Delhi’s population.
First Piper 