New Delhi, March 24, 2025 – Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has announced that her Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government will soon present a comprehensive “white paper” in the Delhi Assembly, shedding light on the performance and alleged missteps of the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) regime. The statement, made during a session on Monday, signals a bold move to scrutinize the AAP’s 10-year governance, which ended with the BJP’s landslide victory in the February 2025 Assembly polls.
A Promise of Accountability
Addressing the Assembly, Gupta emphasized her administration’s commitment to transparency. “The people of Delhi deserve to know the truth about the last decade under AAP. We will present a white paper detailing their tenure—every promise made, every promise broken,” she declared. The move comes barely a month after the BJP swept 48 of the 70 Assembly seats, relegating AAP to 22 and ending its dominance in the capital.
The white paper, Gupta hinted, will focus on key sectors like healthcare, education, and infrastructure—areas where AAP had claimed transformative success through initiatives like Mohalla Clinics and school revamps. “Their so-called models were built on hype, not results. We’ll show the real picture,” she added, drawing cheers from BJP MLAs and jeers from the opposition benches.
Political Sparks Fly
The announcement triggered an immediate uproar in the Assembly. AAP legislators, led by former Chief Minister Atishi, accused the BJP of playing “vendetta politics” to deflect from its own agenda. “This is a distraction. Where’s the Rs 2,500 monthly aid for women you promised in your first cabinet meeting?” Atishi shot back, referencing a key BJP poll pledge. Gupta, unfazed, retorted, “We’ll work on our agenda, not yours. The white paper will expose why Delhiites rejected you.”
Delhi Minister Pankaj Singh, speaking to PTI outside the Assembly, reinforced Gupta’s stance. “It’s coming soon, and the CM will provide all details. The people will see what AAP hid for years,” he said, hinting at a meticulous document backed by data and audits.
AAP’s Legacy Under the Lens
The AAP, under Arvind Kejriwal and later Atishi, governed Delhi from 2015 to 2025, touting a pro-poor, governance-driven model. However, the BJP has long accused it of financial mismanagement and unfulfilled promises. Recent posts on X reflect public curiosity, with some users anticipating revelations about the controversial ‘Sheeshmahal’ bungalow renovation and others dismissing the white paper as political theatre.
Official data offers context: a CAG report (2016-22), tabled last month, flagged irregularities in healthcare spending, while Delhi’s air quality and Yamuna pollution remain pressing concerns despite AAP’s claims of progress (Hindustan Times, March 4). The BJP’s victory, bolstered by PM Narendra Modi’s campaign push, has given Gupta’s government the mandate—and the ammunition—to dig into this record.
Gupta’s Nayak Moment
Since taking office, Gupta, a first-time MLA from Shalimar Bagh, has likened herself to the protagonist of the Bollywood film Nayak—a reluctant leader thrust into action. Her rise to CM, beating out heavyweights like Parvesh Verma, who ousted Kejriwal in New Delhi, underscores the BJP’s bold new chapter in Delhi after 26 years out of power. “I’m here to serve, not sit in palaces,” she quipped, a jab at Kejriwal’s lavish residence row.
The white paper aligns with this narrative of reform. Sources told NDTV it could draw on pending CAG reports, court cases—like the recent FIR against Kejriwal for alleged fund misuse—and public grievances to build its case.
What Lies Ahead
As Delhi watches, the white paper promises to be a political bombshell. Will it unearth systemic failures or fizzle into partisan noise? With Gupta’s administration already rolling out schemes like the Rs 5,100-crore Mahila Samriddhi Yojana (NDTV, March 8), the stakes are high to balance critique with delivery.
For now, the Assembly’s stormy scenes—placards, slogans, and all—set the stage for a showdown that could redefine Delhi’s political fault lines. As Gupta put it, “The truth isn’t just coming; it’s already here.”
