Three top contenders proposed her name

The suspense over Delhi's new chief minister ended Wednesday evening as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced Rekha Gupta as its pick, bringing an end to ll days of speculation following the party's sweeping victory in the state elections.

- Alok KN Mishra

The high-profile legislature meeting at the Delhi BJP headquarters, where her name was announced, was marked by celebration, with party workers dancing and supporters eagerly backing their leaders.

Though the meeting was officially scheduled for 7.30pm, crowds began gathering at Pandit Pant Marg as early as 1pm. As the evening progressed and senior party leaders arrived, the crowd swelled, and rumours spread quickly. At various points, different names surfaced as potential chief ministers, triggering premature celebrations by their supporters. But each time, they were told to wait for the official announcement.

When Gupta's name was finally announced, the response inside the meeting hall was overwhelmingly positive.