Delhi gets new CM: Rekha Gupta takes oath with top NDA leadership in attendance

Rekha Gupta was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Delhi today, marking the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) return to power in the national capital after 27 years. The oath-taking ceremony took place at Ramlila Maidan and was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP President JP Nadda, and several National Democratic Alliance (NDA) allies. Alongside Chief Minister Gupta, six other BJP MLAs were inducted into the Delhi cabinet: Parvesh Verma, Ashish Sood, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Kapil Mishra, Ravinder Indraj Singh, and Pankaj Kumar Singh. Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena administered the oaths of office. 

Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad

Rekha Gupta, a first-time MLA from Shalimar Bagh, becomes Delhi's fourth woman Chief Minister, following in the footsteps of Sushma Swaraj, Sheila Dikshit, and Atishi Marlena. Her political journey began with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) at Delhi University, where she served as the President of the Delhi University Students' Union in 1996-97. She has also held positions as a councillor and former mayor within the South Delhi Municipal Corporation. 

Infrastructure development

In her inaugural address, Chief Minister Gupta expressed gratitude to the BJP leadership and emphasized her commitment to addressing Delhi's challenges, including pollution control and infrastructure development. She also pledged to fulfill the party's electoral promises, such as providing Rs 2,500 monthly financial assistance to women, with the first installment expected by March 8, International Women's Day. 

Leadership change

The ceremony was attended by a large gathering, including chief ministers and deputy chief ministers from NDA-ruled states, as well as other dignitaries and members of the public. Security was heightened for the event, with over 25,000 personnel deployed to ensure safety. This leadership change signifies a significant political shift in Delhi, as the BJP takes over governance from the Aam Aadmi Party, which had been in power for the past decade.