Who is Rekha Gupta? First-time MLA picked by BJP as Delhi’s fourth woman chief minister

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday appointed Rekha Gupta as Chief Minister of Delhi. Gupta won the Delhi Assembly Election 2025 from Shalimar Bagh seat with 68,200 votes, defeating Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) Bandana Kumari by 29,595 votes.

Once sworn in, Gupta – a first-time MLA and three-time former councillor – will become the only woman to be the chief minister among all NDA-ruled states in the country. In fact, she will be the only second woman after Mamata Banerjee to be a chief minister of any state in the country currently.

Gupta, an advocate by profession, will also be the fourth woman chief minister of Delhi even since 1993 when the first Delhi Assembly elections were held . Before her, Sushma Swaraj, Sheila Dikshit and Atishi were women CMs of Delhi.

The highly anticipated decision to appoint Gupta was taken at the BJP Legislature Party meeting held at the party’s Delhi unit office on Wednesday evening. Earlier, the BJP named former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and its national secretary Om Prakash Dhankar as the party’s central observers for the election of its Delhi legislature party leader.

Gupta will take oath, along with the ministers in the cabinet, at the mega swearing-in at Ramlila Maidan on February 20. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief Ministers from BJP-ruled states, NDA leaders, Union Ministers, and other prominent figures will attend the oath-taking of Delhi's new government.

The BJP scripted a historic victory by bagging 48 seats in the 70-member Delhi assembly. The AAP, in power since 2015, won just 22 seats.

Gupta, 50 will be the first BJP chief minister in Delhi after a 27-year gap. The last party leader to be chief minister of the national capital was thelate Sushma Swaraj in 1998.

Born on July 19, 1974, in Julana, Haryana, Rekha Gupta was influenced by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) from a young age. She studied education at Delhi University, earning a Bachelor of Commerce and advanced degrees in management and arts.

Former DUSU President

Rekha began her political journey through the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the RSS, at Daulat Ram College, Delhi University, in 1992.  She became the President of the Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) in1996, according to her website

Rekha was elected a councillor from North Pitampura in 2007 and re-elected in 2012. She also served as the mayor of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC). However, she lost the MCD mayoral elections in 2023. 

Gupta has experience in municipal governance and will be responsible for implementing the Delhi government's women-centric policies, particularly ₹2500 for women scheme promised by the BJP in its pre-poll manifesto. 

Gupta uses "Kaam hi Pehchaan" (work is my identity), as a tagline on her website for her campaigns.

Here is the political journey of Rekha Gupta

-Became the secretary of Daulat Ram College in 1994-95.

-Became the secretary of Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) in 1995-96.

-Became the President of Delhi University Students Union in 1996-97.

-Was the Secretary of Bhartiya Janta Party Yuva Morcha, Delhi from 2003-2004.

-Became national secretary of BJP Yuva Morcha in 2004-2006 under the Presidentship of Dharmendra Pradhan.

-Became councillor of Uttari Pitampura, Delhi in April 2007.

-Has been Chairperson of the Women Welfare and Child Development Committee MCD for two consecutive years from 2007-2009.

-Has been General Secretary of Delhi state Mahila Morcha BJP-2009.

-In March 2010, she became a member of BJP's National Executive Commitee.

-Lost Delhi Mayoral election to AAP's Shelly Oberoi in February 2023.

-Won Delhi Assembly Election for the first time from Shalimar Bagh seat in February 2025.

Gupta has declared a total family networth of ₹5 crore. This includes ₹3.55 crore for self and ₹1.44 crore for spouse,