February 20, 2025, Rekha Gupta was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Delhi, marking the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) return to power in the national capital after a 27-year hiatus. The grand ceremony, held at the iconic Ramlila Maidan, was attended by a multitude of dignitaries, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and other prominent leaders from the BJP and its National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners. The event also saw the presence of chief ministers from various BJP-ruled states, underscoring the significance of this political resurgence.
Rekha Gupta, a first-time Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from the Shalimar Bagh constituency, has a rich history of political engagement. Born on July 19, 1974, in Julana, Haryana, she pursued her education at Delhi University, earning a Bachelor of Commerce degree, followed by a Bachelor of Laws from Chaudhary Charan Singh University in 2022. Her political journey commenced in 1992 with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Demonstrating leadership and commitment, she was elected as the President of the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) in 1996, a role that laid the foundation for her future in politics. Over the years, Gupta has served as a three-time councillor and has held the position of General Secretary within the Delhi state unit of the BJP. Her deep-rooted association with the RSS and her extensive experience in grassroots politics have been pivotal in her ascent to the chief ministerial position.
The 2025 Delhi Assembly elections were a testament to the BJP’s strategic prowess, with the party securing 48 out of 70 seats, effectively ending the decade-long governance of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Gupta’s victory in Shalimar Bagh was particularly noteworthy, as she defeated the incumbent AAP candidate, Bandana Kumari, by a substantial margin of over 29,000 votes. Her election as the Leader of the House in the newly constituted 8th Delhi Assembly was a unanimous decision during the BJP legislature party meeting on February 19, 2025. Subsequently, she met with Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena to stake her claim to form the government, leading to her official swearing-in the following day.
Gupta’s appointment is historically significant, as she becomes the fourth woman to hold the chief ministerial office in Delhi, following in the footsteps of Sushma Swaraj (BJP), Sheila Dikshit (Congress), and Atishi Marlena (AAP). Notably, she is currently the only woman chief minister among BJP-ruled states, highlighting the party’s emphasis on promoting female leadership. In her inaugural address, Gupta expressed profound gratitude to the BJP’s central leadership for entrusting her with this monumental responsibility. She articulated her commitment to working diligently for the welfare, empowerment, and holistic development of every resident of Delhi, emphasizing her dedication to transparency and integrity in governance.
The newly formed cabinet under Chief Minister Gupta comprises six ministers, each bringing a wealth of experience and representing diverse communities within Delhi. Parvesh Verma, who achieved a remarkable victory over AAP’s national convenor Arvind Kejriwal in the New Delhi constituency, has been appointed as the Deputy Chief Minister. Verma, a prominent Jat leader and son of former Delhi Chief Minister Sahib Singh Verma, is expected to bolster the BJP’s support among the Jat community. Other key cabinet members include Ashish Sood, an MLA from Janakpuri with decades of organizational experience within the party; Manjinder Singh Sirsa, representing Rajouri Garden and serving as a pivotal Punjabi leader; Ravinder Indraj Singh, a Dalit leader from Bawana known for his advocacy of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes rights; Pankaj Kumar Singh, a dentist by profession and MLA from Vikaspuri with a strong background in social work; and Kapil Mishra, a two-time MLA from Karawal Nagar, formerly associated with AAP and now a significant Purvanchali leader within the BJP. This carefully selected cabinet reflects the BJP’s strategic approach to ensuring balanced representation across various communities in Delhi.
The swearing-in ceremony at Ramlila Maidan was meticulously organized, with robust security measures in place to ensure the safety of all attendees. Over 25,000 security personnel, including paramilitary forces, were deployed across central, northern, and New Delhi regions. Advanced surveillance systems, including snipers positioned on high-rise buildings and CCTV cameras equipped with AI-based facial recognition technology, were implemented to monitor the event comprehensively. The Delhi Police issued traffic advisories to manage the influx of attendees, and special arrangements were made to accommodate dignitaries and the general public, reflecting the significance of the occasion.
In her post-swearing-in remarks, Chief Minister Gupta outlined her administration’s immediate priorities. She reaffirmed her commitment to fulfilling the BJP’s electoral promise of providing ₹2,500 monthly financial assistance to women, with the first installment slated for disbursement by March 8, coinciding with International Women’s Day. Additionally, Gupta emphasized her dedication to addressing pressing civic issues, including enhancing water supply, improving road infrastructure, upgrading sewerage systems, alleviating urban congestion, and combating pollution—challenges that have long affected Delhi’s residents. Her prior experience as a councillor and former mayor of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation is anticipated to be instrumental in effectively navigating these complex urban challenges.
The political landscape in Delhi has undergone a significant transformation with the BJP’s resurgence. The Aam Aadmi Party, which previously held a dominant position with 62 seats in the 2020 elections, experienced a substantial decline, securing only 22 seats in the 2025 elections. The Indian National Congress, once a formidable force in Delhi politics, failed to secure any seats for the third consecutive assembly election, highlighting a continued erosion of its urban support base
