A saffron coalescence greets new Delhi cabinet at Ramlila Ground

Crowds started flooding the Jawaharlal Nehru Marg and Chaman Lal Road from 9am, with visitors greeted by a brouhaha of nagadas (hand-held tambourines), drums and trumpets

A palpable sense of excitement hung in the air at the Ramlila Ground on Thursday morning as tens of thousands of people from all walks of life — residents of JJ clusters, senior citizens, religious outfits, and women’s groups — converged into a saffron wave to welcome Delhi’s latest chief minister-elect, Rekha Gupta, and her six-strong leadership team.

A view of the crowd at Ramlila Ground on Thursday morning. (Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo)

With this, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) marked a storming comeback in the Capital’s politics after 27 years.

Crowds began flooding Jawaharlal Nehru Marg and Chaman Lal Road as early as 9 am, greeted by the energetic beats of nagadas (hand-held tambourines), drums, and trumpets. The sheer scale of the celebration set the tone for the day. Gupta and her team took the oath of office at around 12.45pm on a massive saffron-hued stage, erected towards Chaman Lal Road, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president JP Nadda, senior members of the Union government, and chief ministers from BJP-ruled states.

The enthusiasm of the attendees was evident in the fervour on the ground.

Thirteen-year-old Bhimojit Singh, who was part of a 15-member troupe playing nagadas at one entrance, said: “We were invited by the BJP to showcase India’s culture, as well as celebrate the occasion. We are using multiple nagadas, which are only played for grand entrances at festive occasions or weddings.”

A few steps ahead, a 20-member brass band, hired specifically by a local BJP leader, played patriotic tunes to mark the induction of area legislator Manjinder Singh Sirsa into the state cabinet.

“It is a historic day,” said Ravi Devi Pujak, the local leader. “Rekha Gupta ji becoming chief minister and Sirsa ji being made a minister is a celebration of Delhi voting right and choosing the BJP, which will bring nothing but development.”

Security arrangements were equally elaborate. Squads of at least 20 security personnel were stationed at each of the eightentrances for the general public (besides two for VIPs), alongside BJP workers ensuring that every visitor carried party flags, scarves, or cutouts of senior leaders. Despite the high-security presence, the atmosphere remained festive.

“People voted for the BJP because they are hopeful of change,” said 60-year-old Sohan Lal, who travelled from Inderpuri. “I came here to see the party’s senior leaders in person. I want them to improve Delhi’s roads, fix the sewerage problems plaguing many neighbourhoods, and provide better education. This government has promised development, and we are hopeful.”

The VIP and media enclosures were lined by members of the Delhi Police band, dressed in white, red, and blue, playing patriotic songs. Besides, there were also at least 10 musical artists from the Sadho band, playing devotional and patriotic songs on a separate platform near the main stage from 11am.

Chants of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” and “Jai Shri Ram” were also commonplace, reverberating around the area throughout the day.

Thirty-five-year-old Govind Giri, a priest from Harihar temple in Kamla Market, said: “I have worn saffron all my life, but to see an entire part of the city turn saffron is a proud moment. The new government has given us priests a lot of respect. This is the reason someone like me is here to witness the occasion.”

The entrance to the VIP enclosure was manned by assistant commissioners and inspectors of police, to allow only those with invitation cards. A team of the National Security Guard (NSG), equipped with hi-tech gadgets and weapons, was also present on their specially designed armoured vehicle outside the venue.

Chairs were set up across the venue, along with giant screens on both sides of the seating area, for visitors to observe the ceremonies. Bottled water jars and paper glasses were placed at multiple locations across the venue, while tea was also served to people.

At exactly noon, senior party leaders and dignitaries started arriving, with Rekha Gupta also taking to the stage around 12.15pm, to loud cheers. Loud cheers also greeted PM Modi, as crowds chanted his name with much enthusiasm. There were also minor scuffles as visitors fought one another to get a better view of the PM.

At precisely 12.30pm, the Delhi Police band began playing the national anthem, which was followed by the oath-taking ceremony. The event concluded around 1pm, after which the guests as well as the crowd started dispersing the Ramlila ground.

Among the visitors were also groups of people from northeastern states, mostly students and working professionals.

Thor, a 26-year-old Manipur resident, who has been working with a BPO in Delhi for the past three years, said, “I have come here with my friends to be part of the historic event. It’s an amazing experience for me. Coming from a northeastern state, we seldom face racial comments from people in Delhi. I expect the newly formed government in Delhi to ensure people from our states are not treated like outsiders.”

Among the key attractions at the venue were cut-outs of party leaders, especially those of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. As soon as the ceremony wrapped up, BJP workers started taking along these giant cut-outs home.

Forty-year-old Rajkumar Sharma, a party worker from Kartar Nagar, hugging a cut-out of Union minister Amit Shah, said: “Mota Bhai is the modern-day Chanakya. I will place this photo in my home.”