The BJP government in Delhi is now being led by a woman. Rekha Gupta has been chosen as the leader of the BJP Legislative Party, making her the new Chief Minister of Delhi. After 27 years, the BJP is back in power and has decided to put a female face at the forefront this time. Rekha will take her oath as CM at Ramlila Maidan today.
She was elected as an MLA from Shalimar Bagh and is recognized for her grassroots activism and organizational abilities within the party. With this, she becomes the only woman Chief Minister among the 21 states governed by the BJP, marking a significant milestone for the party.
As for her roots, Gupta hails from Jind in Haryana and has been involved in politics since her college days. At 50, she holds a law degree from Meerut and has a long-standing connection with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the BJP.
Rekha has previously served as the mayor of North Delhi, bringing valuable administrative experience to her new role. She has also been a prominent figure in the BJP’s Mahila Morcha and currently serves as the general secretary of the Delhi BJP Mahila Morcha, as well as being a member of the party’s national executive.
Her political journey began in 1992 while she was studying at Daulat Ram College, Delhi University, where she got involved with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). She became the president of the Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) in 1996-97. After winning a council seat from North Pitampura in 2007, she focused on enhancing local amenities like libraries, parks, and swimming pools.
Rekha Gupta clinched victory in the recent assembly elections with a margin of 29,595 votes. She received a total of 68,200 votes, beating Bandana Kumari, the female candidate from the Aam Aadmi Party. Praveen Kumar Jain from Congress came in third place. In the previous 2020 Delhi Assembly elections, Bandana Kumari had won this seat, and she also took it in 2015. Rekha Gupta has ties with ABVP and previously served as the General Secretary in the Delhi University student union elections.
In the 2020 elections, Bandana Kumari from the Aam Aadmi Party defeated Rekha Gupta from the BJP, securing 57,707 votes compared to Gupta’s 54,267. Congress candidate JS Nayol received 2,491 votes. Rekha Gupta faced a similar fate in 2015 when she lost to Bandana Kumari, who garnered 62,656 votes, while Congress’ Sulekh Aggarwal managed 3,200 votes.