Rekha Gupta, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Shalimar Bagh, was sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Delhi on Thursday at a grand ceremony attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. At 50, Gupta’s selection came as a surprise to many, given the presence of prominent contenders like Parvesh Verma, Vijender Gupta, and Ashish Sood. Her appointment marks the BJP’s first government in Delhi in 27 years.

The choice of Gupta over figures like Verma—often dubbed the BJP’s “giant killer” for defeating Arvind Kejriwal in New Delhi—reflects a strategic move by the BJP to strengthen its appeal among women voters. Women played a crucial role in the party’s recent victory, and Gupta’s appointment is seen as a step toward consolidating this support. In its manifesto, the BJP had pledged significant financial assistance to women, including a monthly payment of ₹2,500. With this move, the BJP aims to break the perception that while it benefits from women’s votes, it seldom appoints women to key leadership positions. Gupta will become the second female Chief Minister in the country, following Mamata Banerjee of West Bengal.

Additionally, Gupta’s selection reflects the BJP’s effort to unite and energize the trader community. Coming from the Baniya community, a key constituency of traders, Gupta’s leadership is expected to further solidify the party’s longstanding support from this group, which has been pivotal to the BJP since the Vajpayee-Advani era.