Celebrations as Rekha takes reins

Rekha Gupta, the first-time MLA from Shalimar Bagh, took the oath of office as Delhi’s new Chief Minister on Thursday at a grand and vibrant ceremony at Ramlila Maidan.

Amidst resounding chants of “Nari Shakti Zindabad”, Gupta, flanked by her newly appointed cabinet, was sworn in as the city’s 10th CM, marking a historic moment for the BJP in the national capital.

The atmosphere at the event was electric, with saffron flags fluttering proudly in the air, setting the tone for the celebration of women empowerment and the BJP’s return to power after 27 years.

Rekha Gupta was joined by cabinet ministers Parvesh Verma, Ashish Sood, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Kapil Mishra, Ravinder Indraj Singh, and Pankaj Kumar Singh as they took their respective oaths. Before heading to the Ramlila Maidan, Gupta visited the Shri Marghat Wale Hanuman Baba Temple with her family to seek blessings for her new role. As she left her residence in the morning, a sea of BJP supporters gathered to greet her with flowers, expressing their congratulations and best wishes for her.

“The public has a lot of expectations from the BJP. After 27 years, the party has again held the reign of the capital, and I am very happy that Rekha Gupta has been chosen as the CM. She will do great work and take Delhi forward,” said Irshad Ahmad, a supporter attending the ceremony.

The event, which lasted about 30 minutes, was marked by enthusiastic slogans like “Rekha Gupta Zindabad”, “Nari Shakti Zindabad,” “BJP Zindabad,” and “Jai Shri Ram”, while the loudest cheer rang out as Karawal Nagar MLA Kapil Mishra took his oath as cabinet minister.

Notably, the ceremony also saw participants from different communities, including representatives from 15 to 20 leading temples, mosques, gurdwaras, churches, as well as individuals from the Trans (Kinnar) community and slum dwellers.

Sudhansu Maharaj, founder of the Vishwa Jagriti Mission, shared his excitement, saying, “This is a momentous and auspicious day. After 27 years, the BJP has returned to power, and we will finally witness a new era in Delhi.”

The ceremony’s festive mood continued with artistes dressed in traditional attire performing lively dances, and popular songs like “Lehra Do” from the movie ‘83’ and “Desh Mere” from “Bhuj: The Pride of India” playing in the background, further adding to the atmosphere of celebration.

“I am very happy that Rekha Gupta is going to be our leader for the next five years. She will surely take women empowerment ahead,” said Laxmi, one of the jubilant supporters in the crowd.

Gupta’s son, Nikunj Gupta, also expressed his pride in his mother’s achievement. “My family is very happy that my mother has become CM. She has been working hard for the past 30 years. She has achieved everything on her own, without any political backing,” said a beaming Nikunj.

From Haryana’s Jind, the native place of Rekha Gupta, women erupted in cheers and celebrations, marking a significant moment of pride for the region.

In an emotional tribute to Gupta, Delhi University Vice Chancellor Yogesh Singh offered his congratulations, stating, “Today is a historic day for Delhi University. Rekha Gupta, a student of Daulat Ram College, has become the Chief Minister of Delhi. This is going to motivate the DU students, and I congratulate her for this remarkable achievement.”

The ceremony concluded with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior NDA leaders meeting at the Imperial Hotel for a meeting with the newly appointed Delhi Chief Minister. Gupta’s cabinet then proceed to take charge of the Secretariat and held its first cabinet meeting later in the day, setting the stage for the government’s plans moving forward.