A political storm has erupted in Delhi after Chief Minister Rekha Gupta shared photos on her official social media accounts about a government meeting held on September 7, 2025, at Jan Seva Sadan in Shalimar Bagh. The images, meant to highlight her review of development projects in her constituency, inadvertently sparked controversy when netizens spotted her husband, Manish Gupta, seated prominently beside her. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress swiftly criticised the presence of a non-official in an administrative meeting, labelling it unconstitutional, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) defended the Chief Minister, escalating the political slugfest.
The viral post, which detailed Gupta’s instructions to officials for regular progress assessments and timely project completion, showed Manish Gupta, a businessman and social worker, sitting next to the Chief Minister. Netizens quickly took to X, questioning his role in an official capacity. One user, @PranavaBhardwaj, remarked, “Is he the husband of Delhi CM.? If yes, can somebody explain why is he sitting at no. 2 chair in an official meeting.? Fulera Panchayat ke Pradhan Ji hai kya.?” Another, @drshamamohd, asked, “What is the husband of Delhi CM Rekha Gupta doing in an official government meeting? Is Delhi being run by a remote-control government where decisions are taken by the CM’s husband?” These sentiments echoed across social media, with users like @MahuaMoitraFans questioning, “He is neither an MLA nor a government officer. So on what authority is he present in official meetings?”
The opposition seized the opportunity to attack. AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj compared the situation to the fictional “Phulera Panchayat” from the web series Panchayat, where a sarpanch’s husband unofficially runs village affairs. “Delhi government has turned into Phulera Panchayat. This is completely unconstitutional. In the nation’s capital, democracy and the constitutional system are being mocked,” Bharadwaj posted on X, sharing the same images from Gupta’s Instagram. He questioned why the Chief Minister needed to “establish her husband’s authority” and whether the BJP lacked trusted party workers to assist her. AAP MP Sanjay Singh added, “Welcome to Phulera Panchayat. PM Modi has made two CMs in Delhi. Rekha Gupta is the Chief Minister, her husband is the Super Chief Minister.”
Congress joined the fray, with its Kerala unit posting, “Who is running the Government of Delhi? Is it Madame Rekha Gupta or her husband?” The party accused the BJP of hypocrisy, noting its frequent criticism of Congress for dynastic politics. “Is this not dynastic politics?” Bharadwaj challenged, highlighting the absence of any official position for Manish Gupta in the government.
In response, BJP’s IT cell chief Amit Malviya hit back, dismissing AAP’s allegations as baseless. In a post on X, he stated, “The Aam Aadmi Party should find something more substantive to target Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. She was holding a review meeting of her constituency, which is managed by her husband - just as Smt. Sheila Dikshit’s constituency was managed by her sister Rama Dhawan, and Sunita Kejriwal used to look after Arvind Kejriwal’s.” Malviya argued that Manish Gupta’s presence did not involve issuing illegal orders, unlike, he claimed, Sunita Kejriwal during AAP’s tenure. “Stop targeting Rekha Gupta just because she is a woman who is doing a good job,” he added, accusing AAP of frustration over Gupta’s effective governance.
The controversy has reignited debates over governance and accountability in Delhi, with netizens and opposition parties demanding clarity on Manish Gupta’s role. As the row intensifies, the focus remains on whether the Chief Minister’s husband’s involvement crosses constitutional boundaries or is merely a case of familial support in constituency matters.
