A historic ceremony at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on February 20, 2025, found Rekha Gupta taking the Chief Minister’s ceremonial oath, as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took the reins in the national capital after a gap of 27 long years. The event was attended by several important party leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and BJP President Jagat Prakash Nadda, among others.
A Historic Oath-Taking Ceremony
The swearing-in ceremony took flight with an oath to office administered by Vinai Kumar Saxena, the Lieutenant Governor. Gupta expressed her deep gratitude for the support that she received during elections-from the party leader to the citizens of Delhi. She further pledged to live up to every promise made during election campaigning and to work unceasingly for the development of the tap city.
Forming the New Cabinet
Along with Chief Minister Gupta, six BJP MLAs were inducted into the cabinet:
Parvesh Verma: Having wrested a significant victory from former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal in the New Delhi constituency, Verma is expected to play a significant part in the new administration.
Ashish Sood: The Janakpuri MLA has significant administrative experience and has worked for the party.
Manjinder Singh Sirsa: An MLA from Rajouri Garden and a notable Punjabi leader, Sirsa has always deviated into community affairs quite frequently.
Ravinder Indraj Singh: An elected leader from Bawana, Singh has some importance as a Dalit leader and industrialist and is quite active in campaigning for rights of the poor and the marginalized.
Kapil Mishra: Being an MLA from Karawal Nagar for the second time, Mishra had previously worked as a minister in AAP and currently, has joined BJP.
Pankaj Kumar Singh: He is also the MLA from Vikaspuri, a dentist by profession, and is serving through social work in the constituency.
Post-Ceremony Yamuna Aarti
After the oath-taking, Chief Minister Gupta and her cabinet ministers gathered at Yamuna banks for a traditional ‘aarti’ ceremony. This act bore testimony to the new government, particularly in its environmental agenda, for its sincere commitment towards combating Yamuna rejuvenation and cleanliness.
While addressing the gathering, Gupta promised comprehensive measures in restoring the health of the river whilst preserving its sanctity for generations to come.
The Reinstatement of the BJP in Delhi
The sweeping victory of the BJP in the assembly polls, clinching 48 out of 70 seats, is a phenomenal change in the political atmosphere of the national capital. This has brought a sudden end to AAP’s decade-long rule, which was dwindling through successive elections. Also for the third assembly election, Delhi’s politics have overlooked once-dominant Congress from securing a single seat.
Rekha Gupta: The Profile.
Rekha Gupta was born on July 19, 1974, in Julana town of Haryana. Her political career began with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) from her college years in Delhi University. From 1996 to 1997, she served as the President of the Delhi University Students’ Union.
Before her election to the Delhi Legislative Assembly, Gupta served as a three-time councillor and the Mayor of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation. Upon her ascent to the Chief Minister’s office, she thus becomes the fourth woman to have held that chair in Delhi after Sushma Swaraj, Sheila Dikshit, and Atishi Marlena.
Future Initiatives, Ambitions, and Challenges
The new government has delineated a series of initiatives to work towards substantial issues in Delhi:
Women’s Welfare: This government is likely to soon come up with the Mahila Samriddhi Yojana for the sake of women. To become eligible under this scheme, women will be provided monthly financial assistance of ₹2,500. The first installment should be out on March 8, International Women’s Day.
Infrastructure Development: Focusing on improving road conditions, de-silting of drains ahead of the monsoon season, and enhancing public transportation facilities.
Environmental Conservation: Beyond the Yamuna cleanup, the administration aims to launch extensive sanitation drives to keep the city clean and green.
