The Queen in the Making? Rekha Gupta Takes Center Stage in Delhi CM Race
New Delhi(The Uttam Hindu): As the political climate in Delhi heats up, the biggest question on everyone's mind is who will be the next Chief Minister. With the results of the recent assembly elections, Rekha Gupta has emerged as a leading contender for the coveted post. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured a significant victory, marking the end of its 27-year absence from power in the state.
In the recent elections, BJP bagged 48 out of the 70 seats, while AAP managed to secure only 22 seats, leaving Congress with no representation. This victory has set the stage for a fierce battle over the Chief Minister's position. Other names being discussed for the role include Pravesh Verma, who defeated former CM Arvind Kejriwal from the New Delhi constituency, along with Ashish Sood, Vijender Gupta, and Satish Upadhyay. To finalize the decision, the BJP has appointed senior leaders Ravi Shankar Prasad and Om Prakash Dhankhar to oversee the selection process.
Rekha Gupta’s Political Journey
Rekha Gupta, who was elected for the first time in the Delhi Legislative Assembly, won from the Shalimar Bagh constituency, defeating AAP’s candidate Vandana Kumari by a margin of 29,595 votes. A former active member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Rekha entered politics through the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the RSS’s student wing. She served in several key positions, including the secretary of Daulat Ram College (1994-95), secretary of Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) (1995-96), and president of DUSU (1996-97).
Leadership Roles in BJP
Rekha Gupta has held multiple significant roles within the BJP, contributing to her rise in the party ranks. She served as the Delhi Youth Wing secretary from 2003 to 2004, national secretary from 2004 to 2006, and was elected as a councilor in 2007 from North Pitampura. From 2007 to 2009, she chaired the Women Welfare and Child Development Committee. In 2010, she was appointed as a member of the BJP National Executive, and currently, she serves as the National Vice-President of the BJP Mahila Morcha. She has also been a councilor from Shalimar Bagh ward.
Personal Life and Background
Originally from Jind, Haryana, Rekha’s family moved to Delhi when her father, Jai Bhagwan, got a job in the capital. Rekha completed her schooling and graduation in Delhi. She married Manish Gupta in 1998, a businessman in the spare parts industry. Despite setbacks in the 2015 and 2020 assembly elections, Rekha made a strong comeback this time, winning with a huge margin. Her victory signifies her growing prominence in Delhi's political landscape.
