Statistics show that the female voter turnout was 60.92 per cent in the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections as compared to the 60.21 per cent turnout of male voters
The BJP has tapped into multiple strategic elements through the anointment of Rekha Gupta as the chief minister of Delhi where it reclaimed power after 27 years. The BJP has of late made chief ministers of political non-entities but the first-time MLA’s selection in Delhi is not only a near-perfect play of caste and political identity politics but also a move to consolidate and capitalise on the growing influence of female voters.
Statistics show that the female voter turnout was 60.92 per cent in the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections as compared to the 60.21 per cent turnout of male voters. Over the past few years, there has been a steady rise in women voting across the country. The female voter turnout stood at 65.78 per cent in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as compared to 65.55 per cent male electors. The BJP’s focus on women voters was also evident in its election manifesto. Echoing AAP's schemes, the BJP announced its Mahila Samridhi Yojana, offering a monthly financial assistance of Rs 2,500 to women. It also reaffirmed its commitment to ongoing welfare schemes, such as free bus travel for women. The BJP further promised a total of Rs 21,000 and six nutritional kits for every pregnant woman, as well as free screenings for cervical, breast, and ovarian cancer in Delhi government hospitals under the Ayushman Bharat Yojana.
The selection of Ms Gupta who enjoys a clean image also provides a stark contrast to the AAP's Arvind Kejriwal's tenure, which remains riddled with controversies and corruption charges. Contrary to old war-horses like Ramesh Bidhuri and Parvesh Verma, Ms Gupta stands out for not having contested a parliamentary election, thus making her an ideal candidate to usher in a new chapter in BJP's Delhi story. Unlike other Delhi BJP leaders, Ms Gupta has consistently maintained a low profile, a strategy that aligns perfectly with the BJP's preferred prototype when selecting chief ministers.
Even though Ms Gupta comes in as a fresh face, her long association with the RSS-ABVP, which has played a crucial role in shaping her political ideology, also tilted the balance in her favour. With the selection of 50-year-old Gupta, the BJP also sent a strong message to youth seeking fresh perspectives.
While Ms Gupta is no stranger to politics, having started her journey as the president of the Delhi University Students Union, the challenges ahead of her are formidable. Besides fulfilling the election promises, which range from financial assistance to women, cleaning the Yamuna, tackling air pollution and addressing infrastructure issues, she needs to be aware that the AAP is down but not out. The vote share difference between the BJP and AAP is a narrow two per cent and the shadow of Arvind Kejriwal's party continues to loom large in Delhi’s underprivileged communities.
Her road ahead is not easy, but with a carefully calculated blend of experience, strategy and fresh appeal, Ms Gupta’s leadership could prove pivotal. And she will also have the Union government, which had fought a running battle with the AAP for a decade and ensured that no Delhi government scheme moved without a hitch, by her side.
But while it’s time for the double engine to speed up Delhi’s development journey, Mr Kejriwal’s government set a very high standard. Will she be able to touch that?
