Rekha Gupta will be the fourth woman chief minister of Delhi. The Bharatiya Janata Party decided on its chief minister's name 11 days after the assembly elections results were declared. By selecting her, the party has sent a message across the country, acknowledging the growing support of women voters for the BJP in the recent elections.
Gupta will be the second chief minister currently in power after Mamata Banerjee and the 18th woman to hold the position in India since Independence. Before her, the three other Delhi CMs were Atishi (outgoing), Sheila Dikshit and Sushma Swaraj.
“Our agenda is clear, and our policies are clear. Delhi has been looted in the past not only by Congress and AAP but even historically, so developing Delhi is our aim,” Gupta had said recently.
दिल्ली की नवनिर्वाचित मुख्यमंत्री श्रीमती @gupta_rekha जी ने सरकार बनाने का दावा पेश करने के लिए उपराज्यपाल श्री विनय कुमार सक्सेना जी से मुलाकात की। pic.twitter.com/e2axxC2eES
— BJP Delhi (@BJP4Delhi) February 19, 2025
The proposal to elect Gupta was moved by MLA Parvesh Verma and seconded by senior MLAs Vijender Gupta and Satish Upadhyay. She will take the oath at Delhi’s Ram Lila Maidan in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP chief J.P. Nadda, other BJP chief ministers, and other dignitaries.
The 51-year-old Gupta was chosen over other party MLAs for this prestigious assignment. A first-time MLA, Gupta began her political journey through the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the RSS’s student wing, at Daulat Ram College, Delhi University, in 1992.
In 1996-97, she became the President of the Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU), where she actively raised student issues.
She was later elected as an MCD councillor from North Pitampura in 2007. She also 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 marginalised communities and women. Her dedication and contributions to social causes highlight her leadership qualities,” states her bio-sketch.
Gupta hails from Haryana and is married to a businessman in Delhi. She has completed her LLB.
As Gupta was the only name decided during the meeting of MLAs and MPs held with two observers appointed by the party—Ravi Shankar Prasad and Om Prakash Dhankar—it signalled that the rest of the cabinet would be selected later.
The party is now likely to consider caste and seniority factors while choosing the rest of the cabinet and the Speaker. Delhi can have seven cabinet ministers. As no Deputy chief minister has been appointed, Gupta has been given a free hand to lead her government.
She won from the Shalimar Bagh Assembly seat. When the Assembly session is convened, Delhi may witness a clash between the BJP and the AAP. The outgoing chief minister, Atishi, who was elected during the current elections, is likely to become the Leader of the Opposition.
The new chief minister may have little time to waste. Delhiites have been promised significant reforms and will expect quick results. While the first cabinet meeting may formally approve the extension of central government schemes, including the flagship Ayushman Bharat, the rollout of promises such as ₹2,500 for women and the presentation of the first budget will indicate the government's intent.
Party sources said the first 100 days would be crucial, as the new cabinet would be expected to demonstrate action on the ground—whether in hospital reforms, rebranding Mohalla Clinics, ensuring cleanliness, removing garbage, or working with the Delhi Police to improve law and order. Given the mandate, the BJP government will need to distribute resources equitably and focus on urban areas, slums, and rural regions.
