NEW DELHI: Rekha Gupta has joined a growing band of BJP members who have risen through the ranks of RSS-affiliated outfit Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad to hold key positions in govt and the party. For her to be chosen from a crowded field of CM aspirants would have been gratifying in any case, but now it is even more so as she marks BJP’s return to power in the capital after 27 years.
Her appointment reinforces the dominance of ABVP alumni in BJP’s power structure, aligning her with stalwarts such as home minister Amit Shah, BJP president JP Nadda, union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan and road transport minister Nitin Gadkari.
Had their political journeys not been cut short by untimely deaths, former finance minister Arun Jaitley, former Bihar deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi and former union minister Ananth Kumar – all from ABVP – would have continued to shape the party’s future.
Gupta is part of a long list of influential BJP leaders nurtured by ABVP, including Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami and former Himachal Pradesh CM Jairam Thakur. ABVP’s legacy as a breeding ground of BJP leadership has once again been highlighted through Gupta’s rise to power.
Pradhan lauded Gupta’s appointment, saying, “I am sure that a compassionate leader and social worker like Rekhaji will fulfil the trust of the party and Modiji’s guarantee to the people of Delhi. Her rise to the position of CM of Delhi is a reflection of ABVP’s culture and the democratic tradition of BJP, which believes in the ability of its grassroots members.”
His statement underscores BJP’s emphasis on internal democracy and merit-based leadership, which has enabled figures like Gupta to emerge from student politics to positions of national significance. Incidentally, the BJP observers for Delhi – Ravi Shankar Prasad and OP Dhankar – are also from the students outfit.
Gupta also fills the gap of a woman taking over as one of BJP CMs since Vasundhara Raje missed the opportunity in Rajasthan in 2023 and Bhajan Lal Sharma was chosen to helm the state.
Gupta’s political journey began in DUSU, in which she served as secretary in 1995-96, before winning the president’s post in 1996-97 as an ABVP candidate. Her trajectory mirrors BJP’s strategy of grooming leaders from grassroots movements. Sources said during her DU days, Gupta was mentored by Jaitley, who was also a DUSU president.
ABVP national general secretary Shivangi Kharwal emphasised how the organisation has long been committed to fostering leaders across various domains.
He said “as has been the tradition and our principled stand to follow the footsteps of Swami Vivekananda, the ‘vidyarthi parishad’ also tries to give ‘leaders of leaders’ be it in the field of art and culture, or bureaucracy and politics”.
“She is an example of the parishad’s work and value of women empowerment in our ‘sangathan’. With her grassroots experience, we are hopeful that Rekhaji will fulfil the critical students, education, health, and unemployment issues,” Kharwal said.