First-time MLA Rekha Gupta has been announced as the next chief minister of Delhi, marking BJP’s return to power in the national capital after 27 years.
The announcement came after a BJP parliamentary board meeting, which appointed Ravi Shankar Prasad and Om Prakash Dhankar as observers for the selection process. The 48 newly elected BJP legislators then gathered to choose their leader, who will take over as Delhi’s CM.
The swearing-in ceremony for the new BJP government is set to take place on Thursday, February 20, at Ramlila Maidan. Preparations for the event are underway, with the venue being cleaned and repainted ahead of the gathering.
However, Sources told Times Now that there will be no deputy chief minister.
According to data from the Election Commission of India (EC), the BJP has secured wins or leads in 47 out of the 70 seats in the legislative assembly, surpassing the required magic number or the majority of 35 seats. Meanwhile, the incumbent Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is leading in 23 seats.
Aam Admi Party (AAP) ruled Delhi for three consecutive years after it overthrew Congress in 2013. However, this year’s elections came as a big blow to Arvind Kejriwal whose focus on governance was mainly on improving education and health facilities in the city.
Who is Rekha Gupta?
A first-time MLA, Rekha Gupta won from Shalimar Bagh in the Delhi Assembly elections, defeating AAP’s Bandana Kumari by 29,595 votes, ending AAP’s decade-long hold on the constituency.
Now, Delhi CM Rekha Gupta began her political journey in 1992 with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) at Daulat Ram College, Delhi University. She served as pzresident of the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) in 1996-97, focusing on student issues.
In 2007, she was elected as a councillor from North Pitampura, where she worked on improving libraries, parks, and swimming pools. She also launched the “Sumedha Yojana” to support economically weaker female students in higher education. As Chair of the Women Welfare and Child Development Committee, she led women’s empowerment initiatives.
Rekha Gupta has also served as general secretary of BJP Mahila Morcha in Delhi and was a member of the party’s national executive committee.
Legacy of female CM’s in Delhi
Delhi has had three women CM’s: AAP’s Atishi and Sheila Dikshit, and BJP’s Sushma Swaraj.
Sushma Swaraj served as Delhi’s Chief Minister for a brief period in 1998, holding the position for just 52 days as the city’s fifth CM. Despite her short tenure, her leadership style and dedication to public service left a lasting impact. After stepping down, she transitioned to national politics, holding key positions, including Minister of External Affairs.
On the other hand, Sheila Dikshit led Delhi for over 15 years (December 1998–December 2013), making her the city’s longest-serving chief minister. Under her leadership, Congress won three consecutive elections, significantly transforming Delhi’s infrastructure, transport network, education, and healthcare.
At 43, Atishi became Delhi’s youngest chief minister after Arvind Kejriwal steeped down. She handled key portfolios like finance, water, and education.
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