Rekha Gupta named Delhi CM: AAP's Arvind Kejriwal says this in first reaction

Many congratulations to Rekha Gupta ji on becoming the Chief Minister of Delhi, AAP supremo Kejriwal said.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo and former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal extended greetings to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Rekha Gupta on being named as the next chief minister on Wednesday.

Arvind Kejriwal, AAP's national convenor (Sanchit Khanna/ Hindustan Times)

Rekha Gupta will be succeeding AAP's Atishi.

In a post on social media platform X, Arvind Kejriwal wrote, “Many congratulations to Rekha Gupta ji on becoming the Chief Minister of Delhi.” Follow Delhi CM news LIVE updates

“I hope that she will fulfill all the promises made to the people of Delhi. We will support her in every work for the development and welfare of the people of Delhi,” Kejriwal added.

Rekha Gupta named next Delhi CM

Shalimar Bagh MLA Rekha Gupta was named the new chief minister of Delhi by the BJP on Wednesday at a meeting where she was chosen as the Leader of the House in the Delhi assembly.

The BJP has returned to power in Delhi after over 26 years, replacing the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) which was eyeing a third straight return to power in the recently concluded assembly election but managed to win only 22 of the 70 seats.

Rekha Gupta and her Cabinet ministers will take the oath of office at the Ramlila Ground on Thursday, February 20.

Rekha Gupta won from Shalimar Bagh, defeating AAP candidate Bandna Kumari by over 29,000 votes in the February 5 Assembly polls.

All 48 newly-elected BJP MLAs attended the legislature party meeting on Wednesday in the presence of central observers Ravi Shankar Prasad and OP Dhankar.

As protocol, CM-designate is suppose to meet Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena at Raj Niwas to stake a claim in forming a BJP-led government in Delhi.

Rekha Gupta is the second woman Delhi CM from the BJP and the fourth woman chief minister of Capital ever after Sushma Swaraj (BJP), Sheila Dikshit (Congress) and Atishi (AAP).