The BJP has finally announced the name of its chief ministerial candidate for Delhi and Rekha Gupta has been officially elected in the legislative party meeting. Rekha Gupta, a first-time MLA from Shalimar Bagh assembly constituency, will be the next Chief Minister of Delhi.
By selecting a woman leader, the BJP has put aside all speculations and has placed its bet on Rekha Gupta, who comes from the Vaishya community. She will take oath as the fourth woman Chief Minister of Delhi at Ramlila Maidan on Thursday.
Rekha Gupta: Journey from DUSU President to Delhi’s Chief Minister
Rekha Gupta has completed her education from Delhi University and has been associated with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) since her college days.
She has won both the President and Secretary elections of the Delhi University Students Union (DUSU). Apart from this, she has served as a councilor in the Delhi Municipal Corporation thrice.
In the recent assembly elections, Rekha Gupta defeated AAP candidate Bandana Kumari from Shalimar Bagh constituency by a margin of 30,000 votes.
Rekha Gupta, originally from Jind in Haryana, was born in Julana in 1974. Her family moved to Delhi after her father got a job in the State Bank of India (SBI). However, her family business is still running in Julana. Due to her roots in Haryana, she often visits her home state.
Rekha Gupta’s Political Timeline
Before becoming an MLA, Rekha Gupta played an important organisational role in the BJP. She is currently the national vice-president of the BJP Mahila Morcha and is also the general secretary of Delhi BJP.
Rekha Gupta, an alumnus of Delhi University’s Daulat Ram College, has M.A. and M.B.A. degrees. It is noteworthy that she has been an active member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for a long time and actively participates in its programs.
Key Positions Held by Rekha Gupta:
- 1994-95 – Secretary of Daulat Ram College
- 1995-96 – Secretary of Delhi University
- 1996-97 – President of Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU)
- 2003-04 – Secretary of Delhi BJP Mahila Morcha
- 2004-06 – National Secretary of BJP Yuva Morcha
- 2007 – Elected as a Municipal Councillor from Pitampura North
- 2009 – General Secretary of Delhi BJP Mahila Morcha
- 2010 – Member of BJP’s National Executive
The BJP had earlier appointed MPs Ravi Shankar Prasad and OP Dhankar as observers for the selection of Delhi leadership. These leaders discussed with the BJP MLAs and elected Rekha Gupta as the leader of the legislative party. Rekha Gupta will take oath as the Chief Minister of Delhi on Thursday.
BJP Ends AAP’s 27-Year Streak
This assembly election is a historic victory for the BJP in Delhi, which has regained power after 27 years. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which has been ruling the capital for the last decade, managed to win only 22 seats this time.
With a massive wave in its favour, the BJP won 48 of the 70 seats and ousted the top leadership of the AAP, including former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, who lost their respective seats.
Also Read: Kejriwal, Sisodia, and Atishi to Face Court Every Day, Warns Virendra Sachdeva
