New Delhi:
As the BJP picked Rekha Gupta for the post of the Delhi Chief Minister, messages of “support” came from her predecessors. AAP leaders and former Delhi chief ministers Arvind Kejriwal and Atishi, who reacted within minutes of the announcement, said they would “support her in every work for the development of the people of Delhi”.
Both the leaders hoped that the new Chief Minister and the BJP would fulfil all the promises they made to the people of Delhi.
दिल्ली की मुख्यमंत्री बनने पर रेखा गुप्ता जी को बहुत बहुत बधाई। मैं उम्मीद करता हूँ कि दिल्ली की जनता को किए गए सारे वादे वे पूरे करेंगी। दिल्ली की जनता के विकास और भले के हर कार्य में हम उन्हें सहयोग करेंगे।
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) February 19, 2025
Reminding the BJP of one of its key poll promises, Atishi said, “We hope that the amount of Rs 2,500 per month promised by BJP to women will be transferred to the accounts of all women on March 8.”
मैं, रेखा गुप्ता जी को मुख्यमंत्री बनने पर बधाई देती हूँ। मुझे उम्मीद है कि भाजपा ने दिल्ली की जनता से जो भी वादे किए हैं, वो उन्हें पूरा करेगी। आम आदमी पार्टी दिल्ली के विकास कार्यों के लिए भाजपा को अपना समर्थन देने के लिए हमेशा तैयार है।
हम उम्मीद करते हैं कि बीजेपी ने महिलाओं… pic.twitter.com/wzBSt09x7f
— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) February 19, 2025
Read | All About Rekha Gupta, Delhi’s Fourth Woman Chief Minister
Women At Centre Of BJP’s Poll Promises
The BJP – which had been out of power in Delhi since 1998 – won the 2025 assembly elections, winning 48 seats in the 70-member assembly, ending AAP’s 10-year rule. Several top AAP leaders, including Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain and Saurabh Bharadwaj lost in their respective constituencies.
In the run-up to the Delhi assembly elections, women were at the centre of the BJP’s poll pitch. The party has promised Rs 2,500 monthly aid for women, surpassing AAP’s promise of Rs 2,100, financial assistance of Rs 21,000 for every pregnant woman, LPG cylinders at Rs 500 and also Rs 2,500 pension for senior citizens.
The Delhi Women and Child Development Department has already been instructed to prepare drafts by Thursday for schemes centred around women, news agency PTI quoted an official as saying.
The official said the department will hold a press briefing to announce the schemes and related details on the occasion of International Women’s Day on March 8.
Rekha Gupta met Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena this evening and staked a claim to form government in the national capital soon after she was chosen as the Leader of the House in the Delhi Assembly during a BJP legislature party meeting. The meeting was attended by all 48 newly-elected BJP MLAs in the presence of central observers Ravi Shankar Prasad and OP Dhankar. The first-time MLA from Shalimar Bagh thanked the central leadership, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and all the BJP MLAs for the responsibility and pledged to “take Delhi to new heights” after her name was announced.
She, along with the council of ministers, will take the oath of office at Ramlila Maidan tomorrow. Key political figures, including PM Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Ministers from BJP-ruled states, are expected to attend the ceremony.
The 50-year-old will be the fourth woman Chief Minister of the capital after Sushma Swaraj (BJP), Sheila Dikshit (Congress) and Atishi (AAP). Ms Gupta – a former Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) president and civic body councillor – is also going to be the only incumbent woman chief minister in any BJP-ruled state after her swearing-in tomorrow.