On February 20, 2025, Rekha Gupta was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Delhi. It was an important event in the politics of the city. The function was held at Ramlila Maidan and was attended by important BJP leaders like Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Gupta is the only woman from the BJP to be a chief minister in any state or Union Territory now, and she is also the fourth woman to be Chief Minister of Delhi.

Key Developments from the Oath Ceremony

Oath Ceremony and Cabinet Formation: Rekha Gupta took her oath along with six cabinet ministers; Parvesh Verma from New Delhi, Manjinder Singh Sirsa from Rajouri Garden, Ravindra Kumar Indraj from Bawana, Kapil Mishra from Karawal Nagar, Ashish Sood from Janakpuri and Pankaj Kumar Singh from Vikaspuri. This cabinet is a comeback of the BJP in Delhi after more than 26 years.

Background of Rekha Gupta: Rekha Gupta is a first time MLA from Shalimar Bagh. She has been with BJP since 2002 and was with Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) for almost 10 years before that. Within BJP she has held different roles, she was General Secretary of Delhi BJP’s Mahila Morcha which is the women’s wing of the party.

Yamuna Aarti: After the oath taking ceremony she participated in Yamuna Aarti at Vasudev Ghat along with BJP members and ministers. This was a symbol of the new government’s promise to focus on environmental issues especially the cleaning of Yamuna river.

First Cabinet Meeting

The first cabinet meeting of new govt started late evening and there were many things to discuss.

Ayushman Bharat Yojana: One of the main agenda was how to start Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme. This will cover crores of people.

CAG Reports: The cabinet will also discuss CAG reports on Delhi’s financial situation. These will guide future decisions and plans.

Women’s Welfare Schemes: Mahila Samriddhi Yojna is expected to give eligible women ₹2,500 per month. This was one of the promises made during the election.

Reactions and Political Context

Political Reactions: Rekha Gupta’s appointment has got mixed reactions. Sanjay Raut of Shiv Sena (UBT) welcomed her but also mentioned some of her past decisions in local body that he didn’t agree with. Atishi, former Delhi CM, congratulated her and hoped she would keep her promise to support women in Delhi.

BJP’s Promise: New ministers Ashish Sood and Pankaj Kumar Singh said they will keep the promises made in BJP’s manifesto especially on healthcare and women empowerment.

Opposition’s View: Opposition leaders like Sandeep Dikshit of Congress wished the new ministers luck but were skeptical if BJP’s big plans could be implemented, pointing out that it might put burden on Delhi govt.

Conclusion

Rekha Gupta becoming the Chief Minister of Delhi is a big deal for the BJP in the city. The new government will focus on health, women welfare and environmental issues to tackle the big problems while dealing with the legacy of the previous government. As Gupta begins her innings, the political landscape of Delhi will change a lot and the public and opposition will watch closely to see what the government does and whether it delivers.