Rekha Gupta’s journey from a fiery student leader to Delhi’s Chief Minister in 2025 is nothing less than cinematic. The pendulum swung her way when she got the chief ministership out of the blue, a role those who know her claim she hadn’t actively pursued. She called it a “miracle”.
It was more a man-made one, considering that this newspaper first broke the news about her prospects of becoming chief minister, soon after the results were out on February 8. Hence, it is time to introduce her to the larger audience. Though the BJP has managed to spring such surprises in other states before, the selection of Gupta is based on her administrative experience among the elected MLAs.
Gupta’s experience of Delhi at ground zero as corporator did weigh in for her. Her caste would have mattered, too. A sizeable electorate of Delhi hails from her Baniya community. That her predecessor, Arvind Kejriwal, shares the same caste allows for a sense of social continuity at the top of the government.
Gupta first stepped into the spotlight as a student union leader at Delhi University. She stood out for her energy. Her political career took off in 2007 when she won the councillor election from Pitampura (North). She raised local issues — libraries, parks, and swimming pools. The accessible ‘Didi’ struck a chord with the people. Even her loss in the 2023 mayoral elections couldn’t break her spirit.
And she took the CM post in her stride. On a typical Saturday afternoon, her home in Shalimar Bagh buzzes with well-wishers — a regular occurrence over the years. She receives them with a smile creasing her face. She greets each person by name, bonding with them. “She’s an ‘aam mahila’ (common woman) then and now,” said Pramod, a local youth.
An advocate for women’s empowerment, the 50-year-old has drawn a clear and firm line against corruption, which the BJP has raised against the previous AAP government and its chief Arvind Kejriwal during the elections. PM Narendra Modi campaigned extensively against the liquor scam, ‘sheesh mahal’, and DJB scams, among others, during the tenure of the AAP government. No wonder, she, after taking charge, said, “Anyone involved in corruption will have to account for every penny.”
Her journey from joining the ABVP in 1992 as a teenager to becoming one of Delhi’s youngest chief ministers is a story of resilience. On the day she assumed office, she told her ministers, “I don’t want even a single day wasted. Let’s get to work.”
She hit the ground running, discussing the capital’s infra with PWD officers and seeking deadlines for repairing damaged roads to improve traffic flow. The CMO is getting used to the new incumbent, who prefers to get things done.
However, ‘vivad’ (controversy) and ‘vyavhar’ (courtesy) always followed Gupta in her political career. Over time, she transitioned from a highly vocal, hyperactive campaigner to a dependable representative of her constituents. She is now transitioning from ‘Rekha, LLB to Rekha, CM,’ aware that her constituency has overnight expanded from a municipal ward to encompass one of the world’s largest metropolises. She has to play the agile leader, alert to deliver.
In achieving what she has achieved today, Gupta has had her fair share of controversies, especially her alleged controversial social media posts on Kejriwal. Only time will tell whether the deletion of tweets suggests a shift in her staunch stance after taking charge as the chief minister.
