Over 10 days after BJP won the Delhi assembly elections defeating Arvind Kejriwal’s AAP, first-time MLA Rekha Gupta was picked by the party as the next chief minister of Delhi. The Shalimar Bagh MLA took the oath of office and secrecy at the Ramlila Maidan in Delhi on Thursday, 20 February.
Along with the CM, BJP MLAs Parvesh Verma, Ashish Sood, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Kapil Mishra, Ravinder Indraj Singh, Kapil Mishra and Pankaj Singh were also administered the oath of office by Lt. Governor V.K. Saxena.
50-year-old Rekha Gupta has become the fourth woman CM of Delhi and marks the return of BJP to power in the state after 27 years. The outgoing CM is also a woman, Atishi of AAP who replaced Arvind Kejriwal in September 2024. The earlier woman CMs of Delhi were BJP’s Sushma Swaraj and Congress leader Sheila Dixit.
However, while Rekha Gupta is the fourth woman CM of Delhi, she is the second one who can complete her term. BJP’s Sushma Swaraj and AAP’s Atishi were just stop-gap arrangements after existing CMs resigned. Sushma Swaraj occupied the post for just 52 days in 1998, while Sheila Dixit served as Delhi CM for 15 years in three full terms from 1998 to 2013 before Arvind Kejriwal won the elections.
Sushma Swaraj was made the CM of Delhi in October 1998 after CM Sahib Singh Verma resigned due to the infamous onion price crisis. She was not a member of the Delhi assembly but was an MP and union minister at that time. However, she resigned from the post of CM in just two months in December 1998.
The political journey of Rekha Gupta
A grassroots leader and a three-time Municipal Councilor, Rekha Gupta has risen from the ranks and worked in different organisational capacities in the party. As a former councillor, she is familiar with the issues and problems of the national capital.
Born in Nandgarh village in Haryana’s Jind district, she was only two when her parents moved to Delhi. Her father used to work for the State Bank of India.
Rekha Gupta started her political journey with Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), a student body affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). She has served as general secretary of BJP Mahila Morcha in Delhi and as a member of its national executive committee. In these roles, she initiated numerous campaigns for the welfare of marginalized communities and women.
Rekha Gupta has been an active member of Rashtriya Swayam Sewak Sangh (RSS) since childhood. She studied at Delhi University’s Daulat Ram College and joined Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). She became the secretary of Daulat Ram College in the year 1994-95. In the year 1995-96, she became the Secretary of the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU). In the following year, Rekha Gupta became the President of the DUSU.
She joined BJP in 2002 and rose to become the National Secretary of BJP Yuva Morcha in the year 2004-2006. Rekha Gupta became a councillor from North Pitampura in 2007, and was re-elected five years later. She worked on developing basic facilities in the area, such as libraries and parks, in this capacity.
After becoming the Municipal Corporator, she was also entrusted with the responsibility of the Chairperson of the Women Welfare and Child Development Committee MCD for two consecutive years from 2007-2009.
She is also the BJP State General Secretary Mahila Morcha. In March 2010, she was given the responsibility of BJP as a National Executive Member. She has also served as the national vice-chairperson of the BJP Mahila Morcha and the national in-charge of Uttar Pradesh Mahila Morcha.
Rekha Gupta contested her first Assembly election in 2015 when she lost to the AAP’s Bandana Kumari. She again contested in 2020, but lost again, even though the margin came down. She contested the MCS elections in 2022 and won from Shalimar Bagh ward, becoming a councillor for the third time. However, she lost the mayoral election to AAP’s Shelly Oberoi in 2023.
In this year’s election, she contested against AAP’s Bandana Kumari, and managed to defeat her by around 30,000 votes.
She is also the founder of a Delhi-based NGO called AAS Foundation.
After her election as leader of BJP legislature party, Rekha Gupta expressed her gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the party leadership and people of Delhi for the responsibility bestowed on her and said every moment of her life will spent in fulfilling it.
Rekha Gupta said her getting responsibility as Chief Minister is also a moment of honour for women of the country, who constitute about half the country’s population.
“I want to thank PM Modi, BJP high command people of Delhi for giving me this opportunity, after 27 years, a new chapter is beginning. It is moment of pride for the women in the country. We have staked claim to form the government…each and every commitment of BJP, fulfilling it is the ultimate goal of my life,” she said.
Rekha Gupta also expressed gratitude to PM Modi and party leadership for their expressing trust in her.
“I take pledge that every moment of my life will be spent in fulfilling this responsibility. Fulfilling the commitments that BJP has made to people, that is the aim of my life. The Delhi government will work in a time-bound manner under leadership of PM Modi and all MLAs will work to fulfil the commitments as Team Modi,” she said.
Rekha Gupta earlier expressed her gratitude to the party on X and said she would work with full honesty, integrity and dedication for the welfare of the people of Delhi.
“I express my heartfelt gratitude to the top leadership for trusting me and entrusting me with the responsibility of the post of Chief Minister. This trust and support have given me new energy and inspiration. I pledge that I will work with full honesty, integrity and dedication for the welfare, empowerment and overall development of every citizen of Delhi. I am fully committed to this important opportunity to take Delhi to new heights,” she said.
The BJP won 48 seats in a historic mandate, ousting the Aam Aadmi Party from power.
(With inputs from ANI)
