India, Feb. 20 -- In naming Rekha Gupta, the 50-year-old legislator from Shalimar Bagh, as the next chief minister of Delhi, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has strategically reinforced its support among two key voter blocs - women and traders - who have been instrumental in the party's electoral successes over the past decade, people familiar with the matter said Wednesday.

The move also signals a reaffirmation of the party's close ties with its ideological mentor, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Gupta, a seasoned party leader, began her political career in university politics as a member of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the RSS's student wing.

Traders have been a core BJP constituency since the days of the Jan...