Rekha Gupta Sworn in as Delhi CM in Presence of PM Modi, Top NDA Leaders

Rekha Gupta, a first-time MLA from Shalimar Bagh, was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Delhi at Ramlila Maidan on Thursday.

The oath-taking ceremony took place in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his Cabinet colleagues, and Chief Ministers of National Democratic Alliance (NDA)-governed states.

Alongside Gupta, BJP leaders Parvesh Verma, Ashish Sood, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Ravinder Indraj Singh, Kapil Mishra, and Pankaj Kumar Singh also took the oath as ministers in the new Delhi government.

Despite not being among the front-runners for the CM post after the BJP's victory over AAP in the Delhi Assembly elections, Gupta’s selection as the legislative party leader surprised many within the party. With her appointment, she becomes Delhi's fourth woman Chief Minister, following Sushma Swaraj, Sheila Dikshit, and Atishi.

Born in 1974 in Nandgarh village, Haryana, Gupta moved to Delhi in 1976 after her father secured a job at the State Bank of India. Her political career began at Daulat Ram College, where she joined the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). In 1996, she became the president of the Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU), making her the first former DUSU office bearer to become Delhi’s Chief Minister.

Gupta first contested the Assembly elections in 2015 from Shalimar Bagh but lost to AAP’s Bandana Kumari. She re-entered electoral politics in 2022 as a municipal councillor from Shalimar Bagh (B) ward and contested the 2023 mayoral election, where she lost to AAP’s Shelly Oberoi. However, she made a strong comeback in the recent Assembly elections, securing a decisive victory over her long-time rival, Bandana Kumari, by over 29,000 votes.

Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena administered the oath of office to Rekha Gupta in the grand ceremony attended by PM Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu, and other top NDA leaders.

The formation of the new BJP-led government in Delhi marks a significant shift in the capital’s political landscape following the party’s decisive win over AAP.

Also Read: Rekha Gupta To Be Sworn in as Delhi CM Today Alongside Six Ministers