Rekha Gupta
Rekha Gupta | |
|---|---|
 Gupta in 2025 | |
| Chief Minister of Delhi | |
| Assumed office 20 February 2025 | |
| Lieutenant Governor | Vinai Kumar Saxena |
| Deputy | Parvesh Verma |
| Ministry and Departments | List
|
| Preceded by | Atishi Marlena |
| Member, Delhi Legislative Assembly | |
| Assumed office 8 February 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Bandana Kumari |
| Constituency | Shalimar Bagh |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Rekha Jindal 19 July 1974 Julana, Haryana, India |
| Political party | Bharatiya Janata Party (2002–present) |
| Spouse | Manish Gupta |
| Children | 2 |
| Residence(s) | 6, Flagstaff Road, Civil Lines, Delhi |
| Education | Daulat Ram College, DU (BCom) Chaudhary Charan Singh University (LLB) |
| Profession | Politician Lawyer |
Rekha Gupta (née Jindal; born 19 July 1974)[1] is an Indian politician who has been the Chief Minister of Delhi since February 2025. A member of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), she has been the MLA for Shalimar Bagh since 2025.[2][3]
She had previously been general secretary and president of the Delhi University Students Union, and is a member of the National Executive and general secretary of the Delhi state unit of the BJP.[4]
Early life and education
[edit]Gupta was born in Julana, Haryana on 19 July 1974.[5] She graduated from Daulat Ram College under Delhi University and completed LLB from IMIRC College of Law Bhaina, Ghaziabad under Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut in 2022.[6]
Career
[edit]Student politics
[edit]Gupta entered politics with the Delhi University students union elections and was elected President of Delhi University Students' Union in 1996. She held this post until 1997.[7]
Early electoral career
[edit]She is a three-time councillor and former Education committee Chairman of North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC). She was elected to the Delhi Councillor elections from Uttari Pitampura (Ward 54) in 2007 and 2012.[8][9][10] She was also pitted by the BJP as the MCD mayoral candidate against AAP's Shelly Oberoi in 2022.[11]
Gupta is the National Vice President of the BJP Mahila Morcha and had previously served as the general secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Delhi.[12]
She won the Shalimar Bagh Assembly constituency in 2025 assembly elections with a margin of 29,595 votes by defeating AAP's Bandana Kumari.[13]
Gupta was also a member of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and started her political journey as a member of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad.[14]
Chief ministership (2025-present)
[edit]Gupta was named as the Chief Minister of Delhi by the BJP on 19 February, with the appointment taking effect the next day.[15]
2025 Yamuna Ghat controversy
[edit]In October 2025, Gupta’s government faced criticism from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and the Indian National Congress over preparations for Chhath Puja at the Yamuna ghats. Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Devender Yadav,[16] and AAP leader Saurabh Bhardwaj alleged that a “fake artificial Yamuna” was created at Vasudev Ghat by filling the area with filtered water from the wazirabad water treatment plant, which supplies drinking water to Delhi, ahead of prime minister Narendra Modi’s visit, while other ghats remained polluted.[17] The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Gupta rejected the accusations as politically motivated, asserting that the Yamuna had been cleaned and natural ghats prepared for devotees.[18][19]
According to the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), the Yamuna’s water in October 2025 was deemed unsuitable for bathing across most parts of Delhi, except at Palla—the point where the river enters the city—due to elevated concentrations of ammonia and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), reflecting significant organic contamination.[20]
Electoral performance
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BJP | Rekha Gupta | 68,200 | 59.95 |  13.49
| |
| AAP | Bandana Kumari | 38,605 | 33.93 |  15.48
| |
| INC | Praveen Jain | 4,892 | 4.30 | 2.17
| |
| NOTA | None of the above | 770 | 0.68 | 0.05
| |
| Majority | 29,595 | 26.02 | 23.07
| ||
| Turnout | 1,12,994 | 58.6 | |||
| BJP gain from AAP | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAP | Bandana Kumari | 57,707 | 49.41 | −2.73 | |
| BJP | Rekha Gupta | 54,267 | 46.46 | +3.45 | |
| INC | J. S. Nayol | 2,491 | 2.13 | −0.53 | |
| NOTA | None of the above | 735 | 0.63 | +0.11 | |
| Majority | 3,440 | 2.95 | −6.18 | ||
| Turnout | 1,17,030 | 61.80 | −7.09 | ||
| AAP hold | Swing | -2.73 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAP | Bandana Kumari | 62,656 | 52.14 | +8.13 | |
| BJP | Rekha Gupta | 51,678 | 43.01 | +8.92 | |
| INC | Sulekh Aggarwal | 3,200 | 2.66 | −11.93 | |
| BSP | Lalit Kumar Gautam | 892 | 0.74 | −1.74 | |
| NOTA | None | 627 | 0.52 | −0.34 | |
| Majority | 10,978 | 9.14 | −0.78 | ||
| Turnout | 1,20,173 | 68.90 | |||
| AAP hold | Swing | +8.13 | |||
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Thapa, Vaidika (20 February 2025). "Rekha Gupta Family: Banker Father, Businessman Husband And More About Delhi's CM-Designate News24 -". News24. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
- ^ "Who is Rekha Gupta, Delhi's new chief minister?". Hindustan Times. 19 February 2025. Archived from the original on 20 February 2025. Retrieved 20 February 2025.
- ^ "Rekha Gupta sworn in as Delhi Chief Minister; Becomes 4th Woman CM of national capital". DD News. Archived from the original on 20 February 2025. Retrieved 20 February 2025.
- ^ "Delhi New CM: कौन है रेखा गुप्ता जो सीएम रेस में है आगे! इस वजह से मानी जा रही है मजबूत दावेदारी". NDTV (in Hindi). Retrieved 19 February 2025.
- ^ Verma, Saurabh (20 February 2025). "Rekha Gupta's Education, Net Worth & Family: Everything You Need To Know About New Delhi CM". News18. Archived from the original on 19 February 2025. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
- ^ Mahajan, Satvika (19 February 2025). "Who is Rekha Gupta, Delhi's new Chief Minister?". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 19 February 2025. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
- ^ Mathur, Atul (20 February 2025). "Rekha Gupta: A surprise pick who has always kept low profile". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 20 February 2025. Retrieved 20 February 2025.
- ^ "BJP names Rekha Gupta as its Delhi mayor candidate. Who is she?". India Today. 27 December 2022. Archived from the original on 19 February 2025. Retrieved 9 February 2025.
- ^ "Shalimar Bagh election results 2025 highlights: BJP's Rekha Gupta breaks AAP's winning streak". The Times of India. 8 February 2025. Archived from the original on 9 February 2025. Retrieved 9 February 2025.
- ^ "Rekha Gupta ::A proud Indian". Rekha Gupta. Archived from the original on 14 February 2023. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
- ^ "AAP's Shelly Oberoi defeats BJP's Rekha Gupta to become Delhi mayor". The New Indian Express. PTI. 22 February 2023. Archived from the original on 20 February 2025. Retrieved 20 February 2025.
- ^ "Why Sheila Dikshit, Sushma Swaraj, and Atishi could be the reason behind BJP picking Rekha Gupta as Delhi CM". Economic Times. 20 February 2025. Retrieved 20 February 2025.
- ^ "Delhi Assembly Elections Results 2025 - Shalimar Bagh". Election Commission of India. 8 February 2025. Archived from the original on 19 February 2025. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
- ^ "Who Is Rekha Gupta? Her Journey From DUSU President To Delhi Chief Minister".
- ^ "Indian prime minister's party names a woman as top government official in New Delhi state". AP News. 19 February 2025. Archived from the original on 20 February 2025. Retrieved 20 February 2025.
- ^ "BJP's Yamuna cleaning drive a publicity stunt: Yadav". The Tribune. Retrieved 28 October 2025.
- ^ "AAP vs BJP over 'artificial Yamuna' ahead of PM Narendra Modi's Chhath Puja dip in Delhi". Hindustan Times. 27 October 2025. Retrieved 28 October 2025.
- ^ Bhardwaj, Amit (25 October 2025). "AAP brings Yamuna water to CM's door, dares her to prove BJP's 'clean river' claim". India Today. Retrieved 28 October 2025.
- ^ "'Govt is lying': AAP slams Delhi CM Rekha Gupta; challenges BJP leaders to drink Yamuna water if it's clean". The Times of India. 20 October 2025. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 28 October 2025.
- ^ Verma, Ishika (26 October 2025). "Chhath Politics: AAP-BJP Face Off Over 'Fake Ghat' And Yamuna Pollution". www.ndtv.com. Retrieved 28 October 2025.
- ^ "Statistical Report on General Election, 2020 to the Legislative Assembly of NCT of Delhi". eci.gov.in. Election Commission of India. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
External links
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