In a historic ceremony at Ramlila Maidan on February 20, 2025, Rekha Gupta was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Delhi, marking the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) return to power in the capital after 27 years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other dignitaries attended the event, underscoring its significance.
Rekha Gupta, a first-time Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Shalimar Bagh, began her political journey with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) at Daulat Ram College, Delhi University. She later served as the president of the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) in 1996-97, actively addressing student-related issues.
Alongside Chief Minister Gupta, six MLAs were inducted into the Delhi cabinet:
-
Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma: A prominent Jat leader, Verma defeated Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor Arvind Kejriwal in the New Delhi constituency by 4,089 votes. Prior to this, he served as a Lok Sabha MP from West Delhi from 2014 to 2024.
-
Kapil Mishra: Representing Karawal Nagar, Mishra won against AAP’s Manoj Kumar Tyagi by 23,355 votes. Initially elected in 2015 on an AAP ticket, he served as the water resources minister before joining the BJP.
-
Manjinder Singh Sirsa: Elected from Rajouri Garden, Sirsa reclaimed his seat by defeating AAP’s Dhanwati Chandela with a margin of over 18,000 votes. He previously represented this constituency in the 2017 by-elections.
-
Ashish Sood: A key figure in Delhi politics, Sood won the Janakpuri seat by defeating AAP’s Parveen Kumar by 18,766 votes. He also serves as the party’s co-incharge in Jammu and Kashmir.
-
Pankaj Kumar Singh: Son of former Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) member Raja Mohan Singh, Dr. Singh is a dentist by profession and has held significant positions within the MCD. He secured his first assembly election victory from Vikaspuri, defeating AAP’s Mahinder Yadav by nearly 13,000 votes.
-
Ravinder Indraj Singh: As a Dalit representative, Singh won the Bawana assembly seat by defeating AAP’s Jai Bhagwan Upkar by more than 31,000 votes. He is an active member of the BJP’s Scheduled Caste Morcha and has long advocated for the Dalit community.
This new cabinet reflects the BJP’s strategic emphasis on experienced leadership and diverse representation. The inclusion of leaders from various communities and professional backgrounds aims to address the multifaceted challenges of Delhi.
Chief Minister Gupta, the fourth woman to hold this position in Delhi, expressed her commitment to tackling pressing issues such as pollution and infrastructure development. She emphasized the importance of transparent governance and pledged to work diligently for the welfare of all Delhi residents.
The swearing-in ceremony concluded with a call to action for the newly formed government to deliver on its promises and usher in an era of progress and inclusivity in the national capital.
