Rekha Gupta sworn in as Delhi chief minister

New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party leader Rekha Gupta was sworn in as Delhi Chief Minister on Thursday in a grand ceremony at Ramlila Maidan.

Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena administered the oath of office to Rekha Gupta and her council of ministers during the ceremony.

Six other ministers, including Parvesh Sahib Singh, Ashish Sood, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Ravinder Indraj Singh, Kapil Mishra, and Pankaj Kumar Singh, also took the oath.

Bharatiya Janata Party’s top leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Minister JP Nadda, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, were present on the occasion.

Having risen through the ranks and served Delhi in various organisational capacities, including as a councillor, Rekha Gupta is well-acquainted with the issues and challenges facing the national capital.

She is the fourth woman chief minister of Delhi. The national capital has previously had women chief ministers from the BJP, Congress, and Aam Aadmi Party.

An elected MLA from the Shalimar Bagh seat, Rekha Gupta has served as the 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 began her political journey with Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), a student body affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

A graduate of Delhi University’s Daulat Ram College, she became the President of the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) in 1996-97 and actively raised student issues. As a councillor from North Pitampura in 2007, she worked on developing essential facilities in the area, such as libraries and parks. She has also pursued an LLB and is the founder of AAS, an NGO. She lost the mayoral election to AAP’s Shelly Oberoi in 2023.

A first-time MLA, Rekha Gupta, 50, is known to maintain a low profile compared to some other leaders in the Delhi BJP. Her name as the next Delhi CM was announced after days of intense speculation. The results of the Delhi Assembly polls were declared on February 8.

With the BJP emphasising women’s empowerment, Rekha Gupta’s elevation will help the party strengthen its appeal among women. She is the only woman among the current BJP chief ministers.

Rekha Gupta said that it is a “miracle” and a “new chapter” marking the beginning of a transformative phase for women in politics.

Speaking to the media, Gupta vowed to hold corrupt individuals accountable, asserting that they would have to answer for every rupee misused.

The BJP won 48 seats in a historic mandate, ousting the Aam Aadmi Party from power.