Rekha Gupta, six ministers to take oath in Delhi today
Rekha Gupta will be sworn in as Delhi's Chief Minister at a grand ceremony at Ramlila Ground today, marking the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) return to power in the capital after 26 years. Gupta, a first-time MLA from Shalimar Bagh, becomes the fourth woman to hold the office.
News Arena Network - New Delhi - UPDATED: February 20, 2025, 09:27 AM - 2 min read
BJP leader Rekha Gupta arrives for the BJP legislature party meeting, at the party office, in New Delhi, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. Shalimar Bagh MLA Rekha Gupta will be the new chief minister of Delhi, the BJP announced on Wednesday.
Rekha Gupta will be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Delhi today, marking the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) return to power in the national capital after 26 years.
The event will also see the swearing-in of six other ministers: Parvesh Sahib Singh, Ashish Sood, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Ravinder Indraj Singh, Kapil Mishra, and Pankaj Kumar Singh.
The swearing-in ceremony will be held at Ramlila Ground, where an estimated 50,000 people, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union ministers, and Chief Ministers from NDA-ruled states, are expected to be present.
Gupta, a first-time MLA from Shalimar Bagh, defeated Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Bandana Kumari by over 29,000 votes in the recently concluded Delhi Assembly elections.
The BJP secured 48 seats out of the 70-member Assembly, while the AAP won 22 seats, and the Congress failed to open its account.
Her appointment as the Chief Minister was announced on 19 February following a BJP legislature party meeting where she was unanimously elected as the Leader of the House. Senior BJP leaders Ravi Shankar Prasad and O.P. Dhankar, who served as the party's central observers, confirmed her nomination.
Following her election, Gupta expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Modi and the party leadership.
"I am fully committed to this important opportunity to take Delhi to new heights," she stated in a post on X. "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," she added.
मुझ पर विश्वास कर मुख्यमंत्री पद का दायित्व सौंपने के लिए मैं सभी शीर्ष नेतृत्व का हृदय से आभार व्यक्त करती हूं। आपके इस विश्वास और समर्थन ने मुझे नई ऊर्जा और प्रेरणा दी है। मैं संकल्प लेती हूं कि दिल्ली के हर नागरिक के कल्याण, सशक्तिकरण और समग्र विकास के लिए पूरी ईमानदारी,… pic.twitter.com/eYM6X6ptzn
The ceremony will make Gupta the fourth woman to hold the office of Chief Minister in Delhi, succeeding Sushma Swaraj (BJP), Sheila Dikshit (Congress), and Atishi (AAP).
Her elevation to the post has been met with celebrations at her residence in Shalimar Bagh and her native village in Haryana.
Delhi's former woman chief ministers, from left, Sushma Swaraj, Sheila Dikshit and Atishi along with the newly elected BJP MLA and Chief Minister-designate Rekha Gupta, right. A former Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) president and civic body councilor, Gupta is set to become become the fourth woman Chief Minister of Delhi.
Who is Rekha Gupta?
Born in Haryana’s Julana, Rekha Gupta belongs to the Baniya community. Her political journey began in 1992 when she joined the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
She is a law graduate from Delhi University and previously served as a civic councillor in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).
Gupta has also held the position of president of the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) and is presently the national vice president of the BJP Mahila Morcha as well as a member of the party's national executive.
Gupta's husband, Manish Gupta, is a businessman. The couple has two children: a daughter residing in Australia and a son pursuing his studies in Vellore, Tamil Nadu.
Security measures for the ceremony
The swearing-in ceremony will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, several Union Ministers, and Chief Ministers and Deputy Chief Ministers from National Democratic Alliance (NDA)-ruled states.
The oath-taking ceremony is scheduled for 12:15 pm.
In preparation for the event, elaborate security arrangements have been put in place. Personnel from the National Security Guard (NSG), Delhi Police, and the Rapid Action Force (RAF) have been deployed around Ramlila Maidan to ensure a smooth and secure ceremony.
Security arrangements for the swearing-in ceremony have been heightened. More than 25,000 police personnel and over 15 companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed across the capital, with a particular focus on Ramlila Ground.
“We have deployed more than 25,000 police personnel and over 15 companies of paramilitary forces,” an officer informed, adding that “robust" security measures were in place.
Around 5,000 personnel have been stationed in and around the venue, and 2,500 strategic points across the city are under heightened surveillance.
AI-based facial recognition systems, snipers on high-rise buildings, quick reaction teams, and multiple layers of barricades are part of the comprehensive security arrangements.
Only authorised personnel will be permitted near the venue, and traffic diversions are in place to manage congestion around central Delhi.
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