BJP's Rekha Gupta takes oath as Delhi CM

Swearing in Ceremony of Rekha Gupta at the Ramleela Maidan, New Delhi. (Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal)

Delhi (India), February 20 — BJP leader Rekha Gupta took oath as the Chief Minister of Delhi at the Ramlila Maidan today, with senior BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and others in attendance.

Delhi cabinet ministers Kapil Mishra, Parvesh Verma, Ashish Soon and others were also sworn in as part of the state government.

Rekha Gupta is the only female BJP leader currently elevated to the office of chief minister.

While BJP announced Rekha Gupta as the chief minister of the national capital on Wednesday, the suspense over the cabinet ministers of Delhi ended on Thursday after the Ministry of Home Affairs issued an official notification revealing the six cabinet ministers of Delhi.

Parvesh Verma (New Delhi), Manjinder Singh Sirsa (Rajouri Garden), Ravindra Kumar Indraj (Bawana), Kapil Mishra (Karawal Nagar), Ashish Sood (Janakpuri), and Pankaj Kumar Singh (Vikaspuri) have been appointed as ministers in the Delhi cabinet.

Who is Rekha Gupta?

BJP leader Rekha Gupta, a first time MLA from Shalimar Bagh, is the only woman CM of a BJP-ruled state or Union Territory at present, and the fourth female CM of Delhi.

Gupta had joined BJP in 2002, after spending nearly a decade as a member of the ABVP.

She was also the general secretary of Delhi BJP’s Mahila Morcha and the national vice-chairperson of the BJP Mahila Morcha.

A seasoned councilor, Rekha Gupta made contested the Delhi assembly polls from Shalimar Bagh against Bandana Kumari, defeating the AAP candidate by 29,595 votes.

—The Indian Express