February 20, 2025: In a historic political shift, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Rekha Gupta is set to take oath as the new Chief Minister of Delhi at a grand ceremony at Ramlila Ground today. Gupta, a first-time MLA from Shalimar Bagh, will be the fourth woman to hold the post and the first in 27 years. This marks the BJP’s return to power in the national capital after nearly three decades, following its landslide victory in the recent assembly elections where the party secured 48 out of 70 seats.
The suspense over Delhi’s next chief minister ended on Wednesday after BJP legislators unanimously chose Gupta as their leader. She later met Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena and staked her claim to form the government. Along with her, BJP MLAs Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Ashish Sood, Pankaj Kumar Singh, Raviraj Indraj Singh, Kapil Mishra, and Parvesh Verma will also take the oath as ministers, forming a six-member cabinet.
The oath-taking ceremony is set to be a grand affair, with several high-profile attendees, including Chief Ministers and Deputy Chief Ministers from 20 states. The event will also see the presence of BJP leaders and workers from across the country, along with more than 50 film stars, industrialists, and diplomats from major countries. Spiritual leaders such as Baba Ramdev, Swami Chidananda, and Baba Bageshwar Dhirendra Shastri will also be present. Adding to the celebrations, a cultural program featuring renowned singer Kailash Kher will take place before the formal proceedings begin.
The BJP, which last ruled Delhi in 1998, has made several promises ahead of taking office. One of its key initiatives, the Mahila Samridhi Yojana, aims to provide financial assistance to women. Under this scheme, the first installment of ₹2,500 per month will be credited to beneficiaries’ bank accounts by March 8.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which suffered a major setback in the elections, losing 40 seats from its 2020 tally, has criticized the BJP over the delay in naming a chief minister. It has also urged the new government to focus on improving law and order in the capital. The elections saw the downfall of AAP’s decade-long rule, largely due to corruption allegations against its leadership. Several AAP leaders, including former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his then-deputy Manish Sisodia, spent months in jail on corruption charges, which significantly dented the party’s public image.
As Delhi prepares to welcome its new leadership, all eyes are on Rekha Gupta and her cabinet as they take on the challenge of governing the capital and fulfilling their promises to the people.