Delhi BJP Government Ends 2025 With Mixed Record On Poll Promises

The BJP, which returned to power in Delhi after 27 years, ends 2025 with parts of its poll promises fulfilled, leaving Chief Minister Rekha Gupta with her work cut out for many months to come.

The BJP-led government swiftly launched the Ayushman Bharat health insurance program in the capital after terminating the ten-year AAP reign earlier in the year.

Another electoral promise that has come true is the recent opening of the Atal Canteen, which provides subsidised meals at Rs 5 to construction workers, daily wagers, and slum dwellers.

The chief minister also admitted that a number of high-profile electoral promises are still in the planning stages.

The Mahila Samriddhi Yojana, in which the BJP promised to provide economically disadvantaged women with a monthly aid of Rs 2,500, is one of the most keenly monitored promises.

The city's citizens still yearn for LPG cylinders, which cost Rs 500 and come with two free refills every year between Holi and Diwali.

The Gupta administration placed a strong emphasis on governance outreach from the moment it took office.

At her official residence, Mukhyamantri Jan Sewa Sadan, the chief minister personally oversaw weekly Jan Sunwai programs, which she positioned as a forum to address citizen complaints.

In an effort to improve service delivery, administrative reorganisation also played a significant role. Two additional districts were created, bringing Delhi's total to 13.

However, the administration struggled to address persistent urban ills like air pollution, which plagued Delhi-NCR over the winter, despite the proliferation of policy announcements.

Only temporary relief was provided by policies like the "no PUCC, no fuel" restriction, mechanical sweeping, the use of anti-smog guns, and mist sprayers; the pollution remained in the unbreathable category for nearly the whole winter.

The government proposed the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Act, 2025, as a way to stop private schools from raising tuition at random.

In health, the Ayushman Arogya Mandirs and the launch of the Vaya Vandana Yojana for the elderly were key measures.

The government has also set its sights on completing 11 under-construction hospital projects, a move expected to add over 10,000 beds to the public healthcare system.

Infrastructure remained a central plank of the BJP's narrative.

Gupta, who also holds the finance portfolio, presented a Rs 1 lakh crore budget for 2025-26 with a focus on roads, drinking water, and Yamuna rejuvenation.

The Public Works Department aims to rebuild 500 kilometres of roads by March 2026, and the government acquired Rs 800 crore under the Central Road and Infrastructure Fund.

Long-pending projects like the Nand Nagri flyover and Barapullah Phase-III received environmental permissions, and the ambitious 55-kilometre elevated Ring Road corridor advanced to the feasibility stage.

A long-awaited drainage master plan was unveiled for water management, a persistent flashpoint, to lower waterlogging and flood-related incidents over the following five years.

To assist the Delhi Jal Board in collecting past-due amounts, the government authorised a one-time relaxation of the late payment surcharge on water bills.

The cleaning of the Yamuna, one of the BJP's core electoral planks, received renewed attention through a 45-point action plan involving multiple agencies.

Projects worth over Rs 1,800 crore were launched under 'Sewa Pakhwara' events, signalling an attempt to translate political intent into measurable action.

As Delhi prepares to step into 2026, the Rekha Gupta government stares at a defining phase, with major welfare promises yet to be rolled out and civic issues continue to test governance capacity.