AAP-da over, Delhi CM must get cracking on challenges

Time for BJP’s optics in Delhi is over with Rekha Gupta having been sworn in as the ninth Chief Minister of the national capital. From an ‘Aam Aurat’ to Delhi’s Chief Minister, Gupta echoed the party’s slogan, saying, “Modi hai toh mumkin hai.” However, she and her team are well aware that while they have hit the ground running, the challenges ahead are formidable.

One of the biggest tasks before her is cleaning the Yamuna River, a mission that requires extensive coordination with the governments of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana. Despite the scale of the challenge, she appears composed and confident, assuring that her government will implement all the promises made during the election campaign. The BJP had already initiated Yamuna clean-up efforts even before she officially took office – an area where the previous AAP regime failed to make any progress. She set the tone for her tenure by performing an aarti at the river, signaling a commitment to restoring its sanctity.

As a former councilor and mayor of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, Gupta has a strong grasp of the issues plaguing the city. Her government has outlined five key focus areas for the first 100 days, aiming to deliver “visible results” to the people who placed their trust in the BJP. These include: The rollout of the Ayushman Bharat medical insurance scheme in Delhi, desilting roads and sewers ahead of the monsoon season, a large-scale sanitation drive to clear garbage from the city’s streets, road repairs to improve urban infrastructure, and disbursing ₹2,500 to all eligible women beneficiaries by March 8.

Gupta has made it clear that her administration means business. One of her first major moves will be approving the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report, which the AAP government failed to table in the Assembly. It would be tabled in the first Assembly session of the BJP government. Additionally, her government plans to probe various scams that allegedly took place during the AAP’s tenure. However, she is aware that the road ahead will not be smooth. A critical challenge will be assessing the financial damage inflicted on the state by the previous government, which began with high ambitions in 2014 but, according to critics, lost its way in political maneuvering rather than governance.

Arvind Kejriwal initially earned public goodwill during his first term, positioning himself as a crusader against corruption. However, as the BJP now claims, he gradually transitioned from an ‘AAP leader’ to an ‘AAP-da leader,’ prioritising political expansion over governance. His pursuit of power, the BJP argues, distracted

him from his original mission of systemic reform. Now, the BJP has a golden opportunity amid Delhi’s crisis. If it successfully delivers on key promises within the first 100 days, it will cement public confidence and secure its footing after a 27-year gap in power. However, the party must remain cautious. While AAP has lost the election, it is far from being out of the political battleground. Kejriwal, known for his street-smart political strategies, is likely to keep the BJP on its toes. The AAP will not only challenge the new government in the Assembly but also take to the streets, holding protests and questioning the fulfillment of BJP’s electoral promises.

Beyond cleaning Delhi’s streets and the polluted Yamuna, Rekha Gupta will also have to brace herself for the political battles ahead. Managing governance while countering opposition attacks will be a crucial test of her leadership in the coming months.