The BJP established its government in Delhi on Thursday after a gap of more than 26 years, with Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and her six ministers taking the oath of office at Ramlila Ground. In its inaugural meeting, the newly formed Cabinet approved the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat Yojana.
During a press conference following the Cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Gupta announced the distribution of portfolios among the newly inducted ministers and stated that 14 pending reports from the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) would be presented in the first session of the Delhi Assembly.
Gupta retained key departments, including finance, services, vigilance, revenue, and women and child development. Her Cabinet colleague Parvesh Verma was assigned portfolios such as public works department (PWD), water, legislative affairs, irrigation and flood control, and gurdwara elections. Meanwhile, Ashish Sood was given charge of home, power, education, and urban development, among others.
After being sworn in, Gupta, a first-time legislator from Shalimar Bagh, pledged to work tirelessly towards the vision of “Viksit Delhi” and assured that her government would fulfill all commitments made to the people of the capital.
The oath-taking ceremony, held at the expansive Ramlila Ground, was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, senior BJP leaders, and National Democratic Alliance (NDA) representatives. Gupta became Delhi’s fourth female chief minister, following in the footsteps of BJP’s Sushma Swaraj, Congress’ Sheila Dikshit, and AAP’s Atishi.
At 50, Gupta is the only woman chief minister within the NDA and the second in India, alongside West Bengal’s Mamata Banerjee. A former student leader, she heads an all-male Cabinet that includes Parvesh Verma, known for his electoral victory over Arvind Kejriwal, Hindutva advocate Kapil Mishra, and BJP’s Sikh representative Manjinder Singh Sirsa. Additionally, Ashish Sood, Ravinder Indraj Singh, and Pankaj Singh took the oath, administered by Lt. Governor V K Saxena.
Speaking at her first press conference, Gupta criticised the previous AAP administration for blocking the Ayushman Bharat scheme, which had deprived Delhi residents of its benefits.
During his election campaign, Prime Minister Modi had assured that if the BJP formed the government, the central health insurance scheme would be approved in the first Cabinet meeting. Gupta reaffirmed this commitment while revealing the ministerial portfolios.
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She retained 10 departments, the highest among her Cabinet members, including finance, services, vigilance, revenue, and women and child development. Parvesh Verma was assigned PWD, water, legislative affairs, irrigation, and flood control, while Ashish Sood took charge of the home, power, urban development, and education.
Kapil Mishra was given law and justice, labour and employment, and tourism portfolios, while Manjinder Singh Sirsa was allotted industries, forest and environment, and food and supply departments. Pankaj Singh received health, transport, and information technology, whereas Ravinder Indraj was assigned social welfare, SC & ST welfare, cooperatives, and elections.
The Cabinet also discussed the Mahila Samriddhi Yojana, which promises a monthly payment of Rs 2,500 to eligible women. Gupta noted that further deliberations were needed since a proper system for registration had to be established before disbursing funds.
At the swearing-in ceremony, all ministers took their oath in Hindi, except Sirsa, who did so in Punjabi.
Congratulating Gupta, Prime Minister Modi expressed confidence in her leadership and commitment to Delhi’s development. He highlighted her political journey, from student activism to municipal administration and now as the chief minister.
Upon assuming office at the Delhi Secretariat, Gupta reiterated her determination to achieve the “Viksit Delhi” mission without delay, assuring that her administration would honor its promises.
Approximately 50,000 people gathered at the historic Ramlila Ground, adorned with marigold decorations, to witness the event. The crowd celebrated with dance, music, and drumbeats while waving BJP flags and chanting slogans such as “Jai Shri Ram” and “Modi, Modi.”
The event was attended by chief ministers from BJP and NDA-ruled states, including Maharashtra’s Devendra Fadnavis, Andhra Pradesh’s Chandrababu Naidu, Goa’s Pramod Sawant, Haryana’s Nayab Singh Saini, and Meghalaya’s Conrad Sangma. Union ministers like Amit Shah, J P Nadda (who is also the BJP chief), Rajnath Singh, and Hardeep Puri were present, along with Uttar Pradesh deputy chief ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak, and Andhra Pradesh’s Pawan Kalyan.
Following the ceremony, the newly formed Cabinet and other dignitaries gathered for a luncheon at a luxury hotel in the city.
The coming days are expected to be politically charged, with the BJP and AAP likely to confront each other on multiple issues. After governing Delhi for a decade, first under Arvind Kejriwal and then Atishi, the AAP has now lost control to the BJP.
During the election campaign, the BJP promised Rs 2,100 per month in financial aid, an attempt to counter AAP’s similar welfare announcement. Gupta vowed that the AAP would be held accountable for its governance, stating, “They will have to give an account for each and every penny to the people.” She also emphasised that fulfilling Modi’s vision for Delhi was the responsibility of all 48 BJP MLAs.
One of the BJP government’s first priorities will be cleaning the Yamuna River, a commitment Modi reaffirmed during the party’s victory celebrations on February 8.
The challenges ahead for the Gupta administration are significant. It must deliver on key electoral promises, maintain existing welfare schemes, and address pressing issues such as pollution and infrastructure while ensuring the city’s financial stability.
A major challenge will be sustaining welfare initiatives introduced by the AAP government, such as free electricity up to 200 units, free water supply, and free bus rides for women. Although the BJP has assured that these benefits will continue, AAP leaders have questioned its long-term commitment.
Gupta, a law graduate from Delhi University with strong ties to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), began her political career in 1992 as a member of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). Born in Julana, Haryana, she has a 32-year association with the RSS and previously served as a Delhi civic councillor.
