BJP’s first-time MLA Rekha Gupta was sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Delhi at the iconic Ramlila Maidan in the national capital this afternoon. Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena administered the oath of office and secrecy to Ms Gupta. Six Cabinet Ministers – Parvesh Sahib Singh, Ashish Sood, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Ravinder Indraj Singh, Kapil Mishra and Pankaj Kumar Singh also took the oath.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and several Union Ministers were present during the oath-taking ceremony. Chief Ministers and Deputy Chief Ministers of several states also attended the event.

After taking the oath, Rekha Gupta became the fourth woman Chief Minister after Sushma Swaraj, Sheila Dikshit and Atishi and the second woman BJP Chief Minister of Delhi. She was elected as the new Chief Minister of Delhi in the BJP legislative party meeting in the National Capital last evening. Ms Gupta met Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena in Raj Niwas yesterday and staked a claim to form the new government. The Lieutenant Governor accepted the claim and invited the BJP leader to form the government.

Earlier, talking to the media ahead of the swearing-in ceremony, Rekha Gupta thanked the top leadership of the party for entrusting her with the responsibility of the post of Chief Minister. She pledged to work with full honesty, integrity and dedication for the welfare and development of the people of Delhi.

Ms Gupta won from the Shalimar Bagh seat in the recently held Delhi assembly polls. She began her political journey with ABVP at Daulat Ram College, Delhi University, in 1992. She became the President of the Delhi University Students’ Union in 1996. She has also served as the General Secretary of BJP Mahila Morcha in Delhi.