Rekha Gupta will take oath as the new Chief Minister of Delhi on Thursday, after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) returned to power in the national capital after over 26 years, ending the 10-year rule of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
The swearing-in ceremony will be held at Ramlila Maidan, making Rekha Gupta the fourth woman Chief Minister of Delhi. The previous women Chief Ministers were Sushma Swaraj (BJP), Sheila Dixit (Congress) and Atishi (AAP).
Around 50,000 people, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his Cabinet colleagues and Chief Ministers of NDA-ruled states, are expected to attend the swearing-in ceremony.
Rekha Gupta had defeated AAP candidate Bandana Kumari from Shalimar Bagh by over 29,000 votes in the Delhi Assembly elections.
Her name as the CM was later announced by senior BJP leaders Ravi Shankar Prasad and OP Dhankar, who were appointed as the party’s central observers.
Soon after the announcement of her election, Gupta thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said she will work with utmost honesty, integrity and dedication for the welfare, empowerment and overall development of every citizen of Delhi.
In a post on “X”, Gupta wrote, “I am fully committed to this momentous occasion of taking Delhi to new heights.”
She wrote, “I express my heartfelt gratitude to all the top leadership for trusting me and entrusting me with the responsibility of the CM post. Your trust and support has given me new energy and inspiration.”
In the recently concluded Delhi Assembly elections, the BJP won 48 out of 70 assembly seats, while the AAP got 22 seats and the Congress got none.
Security arrangements for Delhi CM’s swearing-in
Over 25,000 security personnel and over 15 companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed in the national capital for the swearing-in ceremony of Rekha Gupta as the new chief minister of Delhi.
“We have deployed over 25,000 police personnel and over 15 companies of paramilitary forces,” the news agency quoted an official as saying. He said “robust” security arrangements have been made to maintain law and order.
Barricades will be put up at multiple levels to ensure the safety of the dignitaries, along with other emergency response teams.
Commandos, quick reaction teams, PCR vans and SWAT teams have been deployed at strategic locations, while snipers have been deployed on nearby high-rise buildings, the police said.
Who is Rekha Gupta
Rekha Gupta entered politics in 1992 as a member of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).
She was born in Julana, Haryana and has been associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for over 32 years. She is a law graduate from Delhi University and a former Delhi Municipal Councillor.
Gupta has also been the president of the Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) and has been actively involved in women’s issues.
She is also the national vice-president of the BJP Mahila Morcha and a member of the party’s national executive.
Rekha Gupta is married to businessman Manish Gupta. The couple has two children- a daughter who lives in Australia and a son who is studying in Vellore, Tamil Nadu.