New Delhi, Feb 19: In a significant development, first-time BJP MLA Rekha Gupta has been appointed as the Chief Minister of Delhi after the party secured victory in the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections.

Gupta was named the BJP legislature party leader after several rounds of meetings, with the last one taking place at the BJP headquarters on Wednesday in Delhi. She will be sworn in as the fourth woman Chief Minister of Delhi on Thursday at a grand ceremony at Ramlila Maidan.

She was picked for the top post after the key legislative party meeting of BJP leaders on Wednesday evening. Two BJP observers along with 48 MLAs, held deliberation at the BJP office in Delhi, following which Gupta’s name was announced for the Delhi CM post.

Gupta's appointment marks a historic moment as she becomes the fourth woman to hold the prestigious post in the capital city, following in the footsteps of leaders like former CM Sheila Dikshit. Gupta's victory in the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections is particularly remarkable as she won the Shalimar Bagh seat by a commanding margin of 29,595 votes, defeating AAP's Bandana Kumari.

Born on July 19, 1974, in Nandgarh village of Jind district in Haryana, Rakha Gupta’s father served as a bank officer. In 1976, the family moved to Delhi when Gupta was just two years old. She grew up and completed her education in the capital city, where her strong academic background laid the foundation for her future political career.

Gupta’s entry into politics began during her student years. As a student at Delhi University, she joined the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Her active involvement in student politics led to her election as the President of Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) for the 1996-1997 term. She also served as the Secretary of Dyal Singh College and was deeply engaged in student activism, which propelled her further into public life.

Rekha Gupta’s political career with the BJP began in the early 2000s. She joined the party’s youth wing, the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), and held the role of secretary in the Delhi unit. Gupta’s leadership skills were quickly recognised, and she was appointed the National Secretary of BJYM from 2004 to 2006. Her strong organisational abilities and dedication to the party’s mission helped her gain prominence within the BJP ranks.

In 2007, Gupta was elected as a councillor in the MCD elections, representing the North Pitampura constituency. She went on to serve as the President of the Women’s Welfare and Child Development Committee in MCD from 2007 to 2009. She also held several other key positions, including General Secretary of the Delhi BJP Women’s Wing, and National Executive Member of the party.

Despite her sound political exposure, Gupta also faced sizeable challenges in her electoral journey. She contested the Shalimar Bagh seat in both the 2015 and 2020 Delhi Assembly elections but was defeated by AAP’s Bandana Kumari in both years. However, Gupta’s persistence and unwavering commitment to her constituents paid off in 2025 when she triumphed in the Shalimar Bagh seat, reclaiming it with a decisive victory.

--IANS

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