A significant turn has occurred in Delhi's political landscape with the election of senior BJP leader and Rohini MLA, Vijender Gupta, as the new Speaker of the Delhi Legislative Assembly.
New Delhi: A crucial shift has taken place in Delhi's political scene with the election of Vijender Gupta, a senior BJP leader and MLA from Rohini, as the new Speaker of the Delhi Legislative Assembly. Recognized as a b BJP leader, Gupta has had a long and distinguished career in politics. Notably, he retained his seat in both the 2015 and 2020 elections, despite the overwhelming victory of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
From Student Politics to Assembly Speaker
Vijender Gupta was born on August 14, 1963. He studied at Sri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), Delhi University. From his student days, he showed an inclination towards politics and joined the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), laying the foundation for his political career.
1980: Vijender Gupta entered politics, becoming a part of the Janata Vidyarthi Morcha.
1983: He was appointed District President of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha in Keshavpurm.
1997: He won the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) elections, beginning his journey as a councilor.
2001-2002: He served as the chairman of the Law and Taxation Committee in the MCD.
2002: He was appointed Secretary in the Delhi BJP.
2009: He contested the Lok Sabha elections from Chandni Chowk but lost to Kapil Sibal of the Congress.
2010: The BJP appointed him as the Delhi State President.
2013: He contested the assembly elections from the New Delhi constituency, facing Sheila Dikshit and Arvind Kejriwal, but was unsuccessful.
Holding his Ground Amidst the AAP Wave
In the 2015 Delhi Assembly elections, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) created history by winning 67 out of 70 seats, while the BJP was reduced to only three. Vijender Gupta was one of those three victorious BJP candidates, winning from the Rohini Assembly constituency. Subsequently, he was appointed Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Delhi Assembly. Even in the 2020 elections, despite a landslide victory for the AAP, he retained the Rohini seat by a margin of over 12,000 votes. After securing a third consecutive victory in 2025, he has now been elected Speaker of the Delhi Legislative Assembly.
When Vijender Gupta was Removed from the Assembly
As Leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, Vijender Gupta often voiced b opposition against the ruling party. In 2015, his aggressive stance against the AAP government led to his expulsion from the Assembly. On November 30, 2015, a dispute arose between BJP MLA OP Sharma and AAP MLA Alka Lamba in the Delhi Assembly.
Then-Speaker Ram Niwas Goel ordered Vijender Gupta to leave the House. When he refused to comply, marshals physically removed him from the Assembly.
Now to Play a Crucial Role as Speaker
Vijender Gupta, who previously championed the opposition's voice as Leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, will now oversee the conduct and proceedings of all MLAs as Speaker. The BJP has entrusted him with this responsibility at a time of significant political change in Delhi. It will be interesting to observe how Vijender Gupta performs as a firm, impartial, and disciplined Speaker and the direction he steers the Assembly proceedings.
