New Delhi:
As the stage is set for the swearing-in ceremony of Rekha Gupta as the new Chief Minister of Delhi, a three-decade-old photo of her taking oath at another event is doing the rounds on social media. The photo, shared on X by Congress leader Alka Lamba, shows the two leaders taking oath together as office bearers of Delhi University Students Union (DUSU).
Ms Lamba, while congratulating Ms Gupta, captioned her photo, “This memorable photo from 1995 – when Rekha Gupta and I took oath together. I won the Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) Adhyaksh post from NSUI and Rekha won the MahaSachiv post from ABVP. Congratulations”.
“Congratulations to Delhi for getting its fourth woman Chief Minister and we #dillii hope that #maa Yamuna will be clean and daughters safe,” she added.
1995 की यह यादगार तस्वीर – जब मैंने और रेखा गुप्ता ने एक साथ शपथ ग्रहण की थी-
मैंने @nsui से दिल्ली विश्वविद्यालय छात्र संघ (DUSU) #अध्यक्ष पद पर जीत हासिल की थी और रेखा ने #ABVP से #महासचिव पद पर जीत हासिल की थी- रेखा गुप्ता को बधाई और शुभकामनाएँ.
दिल्ली को चौथी महिला… pic.twitter.com/csM1Rmwu9y— Alka Lamba 🇮🇳 (@LambaAlka) February 19, 2025
Alka Lamba won the DUSU elections in 1995 and became its president from NSUI and Rekha Gupta was elected as general secretary from ABVP in the same year. Ms Gupta was elected the President of the Delhi University Students’ Union in 1996.
Ms Lamba had contested and lost against AAP leader and outgoing chief minister Atishi in the February 5 Delhi assembly election that witnessed the BJP’s stunning comeback to the national capital.
Rekha Gupta, a first-time MLA from Shalimar Bagh, defeated AAP’s Bandana Kumari by a margin of over 29,000 votes.
Rekha Gupta staked a claim to form government in Delhi this evening, soon after she was chosen as the Leader of the House in the Delhi Assembly during a BJP legislature party meeting. After the announcement, she expressed her gratitude for the responsibility: “I express my heartfelt gratitude to all the top leadership for trusting me and entrusting me with the responsibility of the post of Chief Minister. This trust and support of yours has given me new energy and inspiration. I pledge that I will work with full honesty, integrity, and dedication for the welfare, empowerment, and overall development of every citizen of Delhi. I am fully committed to this important opportunity to take Delhi to new heights”.
Her appointment makes her the fourth woman Chief Minister of Delhi after BJP’s Sushma Swaraj, Congress’ Sheila Dikshit, and AAP’s Atishi.
Rekha Gupta will take the oath of office on Thursday at Ramlila Maidan. The BJP is forming a government after 27 years in Delhi. The party won 48 seats in a historic mandate earlier this month, ousting the Aam Aadmi Party from power.
