Three-time councillor and first-time MLA Rekha Gupta is now making headlines as Delhi’s new chief minister. In a system where power has long been concentrated in the hands of seasoned male politicians, her rise is pleasantly challenging to the status quo. Barring Delhi, not a single Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled state today has a female chief minister. Gupta’s appointment takes India’s current woman CM tally to two, making it more significant than a routine leadership shuffle.
When a woman reaches the top, the conversation isn’t just about her policies—it’s about the fact that she made it there at all. And that in itself speaks volumes.
Rekha Gupta’s critics are already trying to drag her down—digging up old, deleted X posts to question her credibility and capabilities. On the other hand, the BJP is claiming her rise as a win for women’s empowerment. It’s a script that has played out before. Take Mamata Banerjee—who is celebrated as a trailblazer woman politician by her supporters, and dismissed as an authoritarian leader by those in opposition. Because let’s be real, when a man takes office, his policies make the headlines. When a woman does, her very presence becomes the debate.
Why women leaders are important
One thing is clear – every political party wants to wear the badge of women empowerment. Except, a woman in power doesn’t automatically mean pro-women policies, or guarantee a society where women feel safer. While the cause of women is bigger than symbolic victories, visibility matters. It normalises women in public life and in leadership positions. From Mamata Banerjee to Rekha Gupta, the mere presence of female leaders shifts the boundaries of what feels possible for young girls and women watching from the sidelines.
Rekha Gupta’s appointment shows the BJP is reinforcing its image as a party that champions women-centric policies and politics. It seems to have consistently prioritised women’s representation—be it through 33 per cent reservation in the party’s organisational structure, the PM Ujjwala scheme that provides LPG connections to women from low-income households, or the Triple Talaq Act. And now, by giving a leadership role of this stature to Gupta, the BJP is making the statement that its approach to representation goes beyond welfare schemes. The question, now, is whether this marks a genuine shift in leadership dynamics or remains a strategic exception to the rule.
Also read: Delhi’s new CM Rekha Gupta’s rise from grassroots—ABVP leader, DUSU president, councillor
BJP’s game-changing strategy
Seeing a female leader rise to the CM’s chair feels like a win. But at the same time, it’s impossible to ignore just how strategically the BJP has tapped into the female electorate—nearly half of India’s voting population.
For the longest time, the assumption was that women either voted as per their family’s or husband’s choices or naturally gravitated toward progressive, liberal parties – a playbook the BJP rewrote through its calculated plans. Congress, too, tried to woo women voters with the 33 per cent Women’s Reservation Bill, which never materialised. But the BJP isn’t just talking about representation—it’s actively reshaping political demographics to its advantage.
The party is making real effort—hiring consultants, micro-targeting female voters, and fine-tuning its messaging. The goal is clear: go beyond the standard empowerment rhetoric to lock in women’s support as a long-term electoral base. And if the Opposition isn’t paying attention, they should—because the BJP’s strategy is a game-changer.
Women’s representation in Indian politics is no longer just a box to tick—it’s slowly but surely becoming a priority. But, as I have emphasised throughout this article, let’s not pretend that one appointment or a handful of policies will magically dismantle the deeply embedded barriers that have kept women away from real decision-making.
Amana Begam Ansari is a columnist. She runs a weekly YouTube show called ‘India This Week by Amana and Khalid’. She tweets @Amana_Ansari. Views are personal.
(Edited by Zoya Bhatti)
Madam Amana Begum, You should have included some of the tweets of the new BJP CM Rekha Gupta to show what woman power is. Yes that way making Rekha Gupta a CM is a game changer for BJP. That its women politicians are also filled with hatred and filth.