Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta met with supporters who gathered outside her residence in Shalimar Bagh on Friday to congratulate her. The crowd, carrying garlands and flower bouquets, welcomed Gupta following her swearing-in as the 9th Chief Minister of Delhi during a grand ceremony at Ramlila Maidan on Thursday.
Gupta, who made history as the second woman BJP Chief Minister in Delhi and the fourth woman to hold the position in the national capital, was sworn in by Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena. Alongside Gupta, six other ministers—Parvesh Verma, Ashish Sood, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Ravinder Indraj Singh, Kapil Mishra, and Pankaj Kumar Singh—took their oaths of office.
Representing the Shalimar Bagh constituency, Gupta has been an active leader within the BJP. She served as the general secretary of the BJP Mahila Morcha in Delhi and was a member of the national executive committee, where she launched various initiatives focused on the welfare of marginalized communities and women.
Her political journey began with Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), a student body linked to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Gupta became the President of the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) in 1996-97, advocating for student concerns. As a councillor for North Pitampura in 2007, she worked to improve local infrastructure, including libraries and parks. Gupta, who holds an LLB degree, also founded the AAS NGO.
Although she lost the 2023 mayoral election to AAP’s Shelly Oberoi, Gupta was chosen as Delhi’s new Chief Minister despite being a first-time MLA. The BJP preferred her over more senior leaders, likely due to her status as a woman leader. Known for her low-profile approach compared to other Delhi BJP figures, Gupta’s appointment followed days of speculation about the party’s choice for CM.
After the Delhi assembly election results were declared on February 8, the BJP, which has emphasized women’s empowerment, chose Gupta to lead the city. She will be the only woman among the current BJP Chief Ministers.