Woman, baniya: BJP ticks key boxes in choosing Rekha Gupta as Delhi CM

Rekha Gupta's elevation also signals a reaffirmation of the party’s close ties with its ideological mentor, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)

In naming Rekha Gupta, the 50-year-old legislator from Shalimar Bagh, as the next chief minister of Delhi, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has strategically reinforced its support among two key voter blocs — women and traders — who have been instrumental in the party’s electoral successes over the past decade, people familiar with the matter said Wednesday.

BJP Central Observer Ravi Shankar Prasad, party’s Delhi President Virendra Sachdeva, party leader and Delhi Chief Minister-designate Rekha Gupta and party leaders Satish Upadhyay and Parvesh Verma after the BJP legislature party meeting, at the party office, in New Delhi on Wednesday. (PTI)

The move also signals a reaffirmation of the party’s close ties with its ideological mentor, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Gupta, a seasoned party leader, began her political career in university politics as a member of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the RSS’s student wing.

Traders have been a core BJP constituency since the days of the Jana Sangh, while in the last decade, the party has actively cultivated women voters, introducing welfare schemes aimed at economic and social empowerment. In Delhi, the BJP’s campaign focused heavily on women-centric initiatives, including a ₹2,500 monthly allowance for eligible women, a strategy that helped the party increase its vote share and secure 48 of 70 assembly seats.

“The BJP has always led the charge on women’s empowerment. We have 33% reservation for women in the organisation, and under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, we passed the women’s reservation bill,” a senior party leader said, referring to the law that reserves 33% of seats for women in Parliament and assemblies.

Gupta’s rise within the party, from her early days in the ABVP to her tenure as general secretary and later president of the Delhi BJP’s women’s wing, underscores the party’s commitment to rewarding hard work, according to leaders.

“She has risen from the ranks… She is rooted in the party’s ideology, understands the pulse of Delhi, and is a grassroots leader who has steadily climbed the ranks,” the leader cited above said.

The decision also serves to consolidate BJP’s hold over the trading community. “Baniyas have been the backbone of BJP’s Delhi unit. While the government’s policies are inclusive, Gupta’s appointment will further cement that relationship,” the leader said.

Gupta’s nomination comes amid murmurs that the party’s talk on political empowerment of women was mere lip service, said a second party functionary. “There was a perception that while BJP relied heavily on women’s support for its electoral victories, but the party has no women who are in the CM’s chair... Although the President (Droupadi Murmu) is a woman, we have several women governors and deputy CMs have been appointed in the recent past in Bihar, in Rajasthan and Odisha,” the functionary said.

Gupta’s selection also highlights the BJP’s emphasis on organisational strength and nurturing home-grown leadership. “This appointment sends a strong message to the cadre that the BJP rewards loyalty and hard work. It dispels the notion that the party only promotes leaders from outside,” said the second leader, referring to recent inductions of leaders from rival parties.

At 50, Gupta will be among the youngest BJP chief ministers, following Arunachal Pradesh’s Pema Khandu (45).

A third functionary pointed out that Gupta meets PM Modi’s instruction of giving more room to younger leaders who do not have a political background.

“Since the Vajpayee-Advani era, the BJP has always focused on grooming a second rung of leadership, and Gupta’s appointment continues that tradition: nobody in her family is active in politics,” the leader said.