Who Is Rekha Gupta? A Look At Delhi’s Fourth Woman CM

Ending nearly two weeks of speculation, the BJP has appointed Rekha Gupta as the Chief Minister of Delhi, making her the fourth women to hold that position.

The 50-year-old leader, a former president of the Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU), secured her first Assembly election victory from the Shalimar Bagh constituency in the February 5 polls, defeating AAP candidate Bandna Kumari by a significant margin. This win comes after two previous unsuccessful attempts in 2015 and 2020, where she was defeated by the same opponent.

"I express my heartfelt gratitude to all the top leadership for trusting me and entrusting me with the responsibility of the post of Chief Minister. This trust and support of yours has given me new energy and inspiration," Ms Gupta expressed her gratitude with a post on X/Twitter, shortly after the big announcement.

"I pledge that I will work with full honesty, integrity and dedication for the welfare, empowerment and overall development of every citizen of Delhi. I am fully committed to this important opportunity to take Delhi to new heights."

Rekha Gupta - From Student Activist To Delhi CM

Born on July 19, 1974, in Nandgarh village, Jind district, Haryana, Rekha Gupta moved to Delhi with her family at the age of two.

Her political journey began during her student days at Delhi University, where she joined the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Soon, her leadership skills developed, and she was elected as the President of Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) for the 1996-1997 term. She also served as the Secretary of Dyal Singh College, actively engaging in student activism, which laid the foundation for her political career.

After her student leadership stint, she joined the BJP's youth wing, the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), and served as the secretary of its Delhi unit. Between 2004 and 2006, she held the role of National Secretary of BJYM.
Her rise in electoral politics began in 2007 when she won as an MCD councillor from North Pitampura. She later served as the President of the Women's Welfare and Child Development Committee in the MCD (2007-09). In 2022, she contested the MCD mayor elections against AAP's Shelly Oberoi.

Over the years, she has held several key positions in the BJP, including General Secretary of the Delhi BJP Women's Wing and National Executive Member of the party.

Rekha Gupta campaigned with the slogan 'Kam Hi Pehchaan' (Work is My Identity), reflecting her commitment to public service. Her selection as CM came from a pool of prominent BJP leaders, including Parvesh Verma, who defeated AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, as well as Ashish Sood, Vijender Gupta, Satish Upadhyay, and Jitendra Mahajan.

Previous Women CMs Of Delhi

Prior to Rekha Gupta, three women leaders held the Delhi CM post. Congress' Sheila Dikshit ruled Delhi for 15 years, whereas AAP's Atishi stepped down from the position after serving for five months.
Meanwhile, BJP's Sushma Swaraj held the position for a brief period from October 12, 1998, till December 3, 1998.