From RSS to Delhi CM: Journey of Rekha Gupta

NEW DELHI:

Rekha Gupta

, a first-time MLA and long-time RSS associate, is set to become the fourth woman chief minister of Delhi, marking the BJP’s return to power in the capital after 27 years. Gupta, 50, was chosen as the Leader of the House in the Delhi Assembly at the BJP legislature party meeting on Wednesday, ending the decade-long rule of the Aam Aadmi Party under Arvind Kejriwal.
Born in Haryana's Julana, Gupta pursued a BCom from Delhi University's Daulat Ram College before earning a law degree from Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut. She has been actively involved in politics since her college days, starting her journey with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) in 1992. She went on to serve as the secretary of the Delhi University Students' Union in 1995-96 and became its president in 1996-97.
Gupta’s association with the RSS spans over three decades, and she joined the BJP in 2002. She has since held key positions, including national secretary of the party’s youth wing and in-charge of the BJP women’s wing in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Currently, she serves as the national vice-president of the BJP Mahila Morcha and is a member of the party’s national executive.
Her political career includes three terms as a councillor, representing North Pitampura from 2007 to 2017 and Shalimar Bagh from 2022 onwards. She has been at the forefront of women’s welfare initiatives, launching the Sumedha Yojana to support economically weaker female students in pursuing higher education. As the head of the Women Welfare and Child Development Committee in the civic body, she led multiple campaigns for women's empowerment.

Gupta’s appointment makes her the fourth woman chief minister of Delhi, following in the footsteps of Sushma Swaraj, Sheila Dikshit, and Atishi. She is also the fourth BJP leader to hold the position after Madan Lal Khurana, Sahib Singh Verma, and Sushma Swaraj. Upon taking the oath, she will become the only woman chief minister in any BJP-ruled state.
The swearing-in ceremony is set to take place at Ramlila Maidan on Thursday, and will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other dignitaries. Gupta expressed her gratitude towards the party leadership in a post on X, vowing to work for the welfare, empowerment, and development of Delhi’s residents.
In the recent Delhi Assembly elections, Gupta won the Shalimar Bagh seat by over 29,000 votes, defeating AAP’s Bandana Kumari. The BJP secured a historic victory, winning 48 out of 70 seats, while AAP was reduced to 22 seats, and Congress failed to secure any.
The announcement of her appointment was met with celebrations by BJP workers and supporters, including her husband, Manish Gupta. Party leaders hailed her selection, with BJP MP Manoj Tiwari congratulating her on social media. Security arrangements have been ramped up for the oath-taking ceremony, with over 25,000 personnel deployed across key areas in Delhi.