Delhi Breaks Barriers: Rekha Gupta’s Oath Makes It the State with Most Women CMs

New Delhi: As Rekha Gupta swore allegiance to Delhi as Chief Minister amid thunderous applause and cheers at Ramlila Maidan, history was once again etched in the political records of the national capital. With her oath-taking, Delhi became the state with the most female Chief Ministers in India—three in number. Followed by stalwarts such as Sushma Swaraj, Sheila Dikshit, and Atishi, Gupta’s ascension to power seals the city’s reputation as a trendsetter in women’s leadership.

Adorned in a lovely saree, Gupta remained unwavering as she took the oath, her voice filled with the hopes of crores of women across the country. The gesture was symbolic—a reaffirmation of the rising influence of women in Indian politics. At the time of assuming charge, political experts were quick to highlight the fact that Delhi has now surpassed all other states with the largest number of women who have led it.

Women in Command Throughout India

While Delhi takes the lead with four women CMs, a number of other states have also seen the emergence of strong women leaders.

Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state in India, has had two women at the helm of the government—Sucheta Kriplani, the first woman Chief Minister of the country, and Mayawati, a towering Dalit leader. Tamil Nadu, with its vibrant political scene, has had V. N. Janaki Ramachandran and the iconic J. Jayalalithaa as leaders at various times.

West Bengal’s Mamata Banerjee continues to be India’s strongest female politician, having taken office in 2011. Rajasthan has been under the guidance of Vasundhara Raje, its first female Chief Minister. Similarly, Bihar also had Rabri Devi, who took the job after her husband, Lalu Prasad Yadav, became involved in legal issues.

Madhya Pradesh had Uma Bharti, a firebrand leader who made her reputation on her hard Hindutva tack, while Odisha witnessed the arrival of Nandini Satpathy. In Assam, Anwara Taimur cut across barriers by emerging as the state’s first and, until now, only woman CM. In Punjab, Rajinder Kaur Bhattal had a short stint in power, and in Goa, Shashikala Kakodkar emerged as the first lady to govern the seaside state.

Delhi: A Political Pioneer

Among all these states, Delhi stands apart as the only one to have had four women Chief Ministers. Sushma Swaraj’s brief but impactful tenure in 1998, Sheila Dikshit’s transformative 15-year reign, Atishi’s progressive approach, and now Rekha Gupta’s emergence highlight the city’s openness to female leadership.

As Gupta takes office, talk of women’s empowerment in politics picks up momentum. With some states already having experienced women at the helm of political power, the expectation is that more will do so. Delhi, however, has set the bar very high, showing the way on how to make governance not exclusively a man’s affair.

Author: Uddeshya Thakur

News India Official

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