Rekha Gupta: Delhi’s 4th Woman Chief Minister Sworn In

Aakhir Tak – In Shorts

Rekha Gupta will be sworn in as Delhi’s fourth woman Chief Minister today.
She is a first-time BJP MLA from Shalimar Bagh.
She defeated AAP candidate Bandana Kumari by over 29,000 votes.
The swearing-in ceremony will take place at Ramlila Maidan around noon.
The BJP focused on wooing women voters in the election.

Aakhir Tak – In Depth

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Rekha Gupta, a first-time BJP MLA from Shalimar Bagh, will take oath as the Chief Minister of Delhi today, marking a historic day for the party as it returns to power in the national capital after 27 years. She will be the fourth woman Chief Minister of Delhi, following Sushma Swaraj, Sheila Dikshit, and Atishi. Rekha Gupta’s appointment is significant for the BJP.

Gupta, 50, secured the Shalimar Bagh seat in the February 5 Delhi Assembly elections, winning by more than 29,000 votes against her Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) rival, Bandana Kumari. “Kaam hi Pehchaan” (my work is my identity) is the tagline she uses on her website for her campaigns.

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Gupta and her Council of Ministers, including Parvesh Verma, Ashish Sood, Pankaj Singh, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Kapil Mishra, and Ravinder Indraj, will be sworn in at the mega ceremony in the Ramlila Maidan around noon.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other top BJP leaders will attend the event. Former Chief Ministers Arvind Kejriwal and Atishi have also been invited.

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Speaking to Aaj Tak, India Today’s sister channel, the Chief Minister-designate stated that the BJP choosing her for the post reflected the Prime Minister’s vision of women empowerment.

She said on Thursday morning, “PM Modi’s vision and positivity towards women have made this possible. Choosing a middle-class woman for such a significant role is a big decision, and I deeply thank the top leadership for their trust in me. They have given me this immense responsibility, and I am committed to fulfilling it with dedication.”

As reporters gathered outside her residence ahead of the oath-taking ceremony, Gupta also asserted that the “previous corrupt government of Delhi would have to give an account of each rupee belonging to the people.”

She added, “I would also like to thank him (Kejriwal) for his best wishes. I hope all of us work together towards the betterment of Delhi.”

A former Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) president and municipal councillor, she was chosen as the leader of the House in the Delhi Assembly at the BJP legislative party meeting on Wednesday evening.

Later that night, Lt. Governor VK Saxena invited Gupta to form the government in the national capital after she staked a claim to it.

The official X handle of the Lt. Governor tweeted, “Leader of the BJP Legislative Party in the Delhi Legislative Assembly, Smt Rekha Gupta called on Hon’ble LG, Shri V. K. Saxena at Raj Niwas and staked her claim to form the new Government of NCT of Delhi. Hon’ble LG accepted the claim and invited her to form the new government.”

Besides being the fourth woman Chief Minister of Delhi, Gupta will also be the fourth BJP Chief Minister after Madan Lal Khurana, Sahib Singh Verma, and Sushma Swaraj.

She is also going to become the only incumbent woman Chief Minister in any BJP-ruled state.

The BJP announced Gupta’s name as the Chief Minister 11 days after its landslide victory in the Assembly elections, ending the AAP’s 10-year regime in Delhi.

Amid speculation, her name emerged as one of the frontrunners in the Chief Minister’s race.

The other contenders included Parvesh Verma, the ‘giant slayer’ who defeated AAP chief Kejriwal in the New Delhi seat; Delhi BJP general secretary Ashish Sood, former Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta, Malviya Nagar MLA Satish Upadhyay; and Jitendra Mahajan, representing the Rohtas seat.

As part of its campaign to win back the national capital, the BJP had focused on wooing women voters, with the manifesto promising Rs 2,500 monthly aid for women, Rs 21,000 for pregnant women, and pensions for seniors, aiming to empower women.

The party’s promises were an attempt to one-up AAP, which had promised a monthly benefit of Rs 2,100 for women if it was elected for a third term. Rekha Gupta’s tenure is expected to prioritize women’s issues.

Aakhir Tak – Key Takeaways to Remember