India’s ruling Hindu nationalist party, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has named a woman as its top government official in the state of New Delhi. Rekha Gupta, 50, was appointed as the new chief minister of Delhi, marking a historic first for the party.
The BJP won the most seats in the recent high-stakes local election in New Delhi, ousting the Aam Aadmi Party. Gupta’s appointment comes after the party promised to improve living conditions and provide economic benefits to poor women in Delhi before the elections.
As chief minister, Gupta will face significant challenges, including tackling air and river pollution, as well as improving infrastructure in the Indian capital. She is the fourth woman to hold the position of chief minister in Delhi.
Gupta’s appointment reflects a rare move by Indian political parties to name women to top positions. The only other woman who currently holds a state-level chief minister position is West Bengal’s Mamata Banerjee.
The BJP has not ruled Delhi for over 25 years, and its victory marks a significant boost to the party after it lost the national election last year. Gupta will work to meet the challenges ahead and implement the party’s promises to improve living conditions in Delhi.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/india-modi-party-new-delhi-chief-minister-fbd74c80f6a1924c169f2fc4888eb19b