National Desk
20 February
Ludhiana
Sandeep Dhand
Rekha Gupta, the Chief Minister-designate of Delhi, will take the oath of office today in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This marks the BJP’s return to power in Delhi after 26 years. The oath-taking ceremony is scheduled for Thursday afternoon, with six newly elected MLAs also set to be sworn in as cabinet ministers.
According to an official notification, the new cabinet will include Parvesh Verma, Ashish Sood, Pankaj Singh, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Kapil Mishra, and Ravindra Indraj. Soon after the swearing-in ceremony, the newly formed government, led by Gupta, is expected to hold its first cabinet meeting at 3 PM at the Delhi Secretariat.
Sources within the BJP suggest that two key schemes—Mahila Samriddhi Yojana, which provides ₹2,500 per month to women, and the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme—could be approved in this very first meeting.
Rekha Gupta: Delhi’s Fourth Woman Chief Minister
Rekha Gupta, 50, was elected as the leader of the BJP legislature party for the newly formed 8th Delhi Assembly. She is a first-time MLA from the Shalimar Bagh constituency and will be the fourth woman Chief Minister of Delhi.
Gupta officially staked her claim to form the government on Wednesday evening when she met Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena at Raj Niwas. Following this meeting, the Lieutenant Governor formally invited her to take charge as the new Chief Minister. She will be the ninth person to hold this position in Delhi’s political history.
BJP’s Historic Victory in Delhi
The BJP secured 48 seats in the 70-member Delhi Assembly, ending the 10-year rule of Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). The party last governed Delhi from 1993 to 1998 before the Congress and later AAP took charge. This election victory marks a significant political shift in the capital.
Grand Oath-Taking Ceremony with Heavy Security
More than 25,000 security personnel have been deployed across Delhi to ensure a smooth and secure oath-taking event. Additionally, over 15 companies of paramilitary forces have been stationed in various parts of the city. The grand ceremony will witness the presence of top political leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Ministers, Chief Ministers of NDA-ruled states, film stars, and other dignitaries.
With her swearing-in, Rekha Gupta begins a new chapter in Delhi’s governance. The expectations are high as she steps into office, and all eyes will be on the policies and decisions of her government in the coming months.