Rekha Gupta officially assumed office as the Chief Minister of Delhi on Thursday, marking the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) return to power in the capital after a gap of 27 years. The swearing-in event, held at the historic Ramlila Maidan, was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several Chief Ministers from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), showcasing a strong display of political unity.

Dressed in a red saree paired with a jacket, reminiscent of the signature style of BJP veteran Sushma Swaraj, Gupta took the oath of office and secrecy in the presence of Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena. The packed venue echoed with chants of 'Jai Shri Ram' as nearly 30,000 supporters cheered the new government.

Alongside Gupta, six newly appointed ministers were sworn into the Cabinet. The lineup includes Parvesh Verma, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Kapil Mishra, Ashish Sood, Pankaj Kumar Singh, and Ravinder Indraj Singh. Their portfolios are yet to be officially assigned, but their selection reflects the BJP’s strategy to ensure a diverse representation across communities.

Parvesh Verma is a well-known Jat leader, while Manjinder Singh Sirsa represents the Sikh community. Kapil Mishra is considered a key Brahmin face within the party, and Ashish Sood hails from the influential Punjabi Khatri community. Ravinder Indraj Singh is seen as a Dalit leader, and Pankaj Kumar Singh, a first-time legislator from Vikaspuri, is closely connected with the Purvanchali community. Singh, a dentist by profession, is recognized for strengthening BJP's support among this voter base, which had shifted allegiance from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to the BJP in the recent elections.

The BJP also confirmed senior leader and three-time Rohini legislator Vijender Gupta as the Speaker of the Delhi Assembly, with Mohan Bisht appointed as his deputy.

Rekha Gupta, aged 50, has now become Delhi’s fourth woman Chief Minister, following in the footsteps of Sushma Swaraj, Sheila Dikshit, and Atishi. She is also the first woman to hold the top post under a BJP-led government in Delhi.

Originally from Jind in Haryana, Gupta belongs to the Baniya community, a traditional BJP support base in Delhi. She is a trained lawyer and began her political journey with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), a student organization affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). She rose to prominence as the President of the Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) in 1996-97. Her electoral career began in 2007 when she was elected as a municipal councillor from Pitampura North. She went on to secure two more terms in municipal politics.

Despite contesting unsuccessfully in the 2015 and 2020 Assembly elections, Gupta remained an influential figure within the party, serving as the national vice-president of the BJP Mahila Morcha, the women's wing of the party.

Her appointment as Chief Minister is seen as part of the BJP's broader strategy to appeal to women voters. During its campaign, the party had announced several welfare schemes targeted at women, including monthly financial assistance, maternity benefits, and pension schemes for senior citizens. These promises were aimed at outshining the AAP's competing welfare offerings.

With the new government now in place, all eyes are on the Chief Minister and her Cabinet to deliver on the BJP's poll commitments and steer Delhi towards development under their leadership.