Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets the newly elected chief minister of Delhi, Rekha Gupta, during her swearing-in ceremony in New Delhi on February 20, 2025.
New Delhi: Rekha Gupta was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Delhi on Thursday in a grand ceremony at Ramlila Maidan, marking the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) return to power in the national capital after nearly three decades. The event witnessed the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and several Chief Ministers from BJP-ruled states, showcasing the strength of the NDA alliance.
With her swearing-in, Rekha Gupta becomes Delhi’s fourth woman Chief Minister, following in the footsteps of Sheila Dikshit, Sushma Swaraj, and Atishi. She is also the fourth BJP leader to hold the top post in Delhi after Madan Lal Khurana, Sahib Singh Verma, and Sushma Swaraj.
Along with Rekha Gupta, six BJP MLAs were also sworn in as ministers in her Cabinet. The newly inducted members include Parvesh Singh Verma, Ravinder Indraj Singh, Ashish Sood, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Kapil Mishra, and Pankaj Kumar Singh. Among them, Parvesh Singh Verma emerged as a key figure in the Delhi elections, defeating former Chief Minister and AAP’s National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal by a margin of over 3,000 votes.
Rekha Gupta was invited by Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena to form the new government after she staked claim on Wednesday evening. She secured a decisive victory in the Shalimar Bagh constituency, defeating AAP’s Bandana Kumari by over 29,000 votes in the Assembly elections.
The new Cabinet is expected to hold its first meeting at Delhi Secretariat around 3 pm, where it may roll out key policy decisions. One of the major promises of the BJP’s election campaign, the Mahila Samriddhi Yojna, is likely to be among the first initiatives implemented, providing a monthly financial assistance of ₹2,500 to eligible women beneficiaries. Additionally, the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme is expected to receive approval, extending its benefits to Delhi’s residents.
With the BJP’s resurgence in the capital, all eyes are now on the new administration’s policy direction and governance approach as it takes charge of Delhi’s affairs.
With IANS Inputs