Delhi’s new Chief Minister Rekha Gupta’s public oath-taking ceremony at the historic Ram Lila grounds draws attention to women chief ministers in the country, past and present, who have made waves with their often-explosive politics and left a deep impact on contemporary history.
India has seen 18 women chief ministers so far, from the first, freedom fighter Sucheta Kriplani, to Rekha Gupta of the BJP and her predecessor, Aam Aadmi Party’s Atishi. Notable names include Nandini Satpathy of Odisha, Goa’s Shashikala Kakodkar, and Mehbooba Mufti of Jammu and Kashmir. Some, like Anwara Taimur of Assam, have been all but forgotten.
Four women stand out for their sheer guts and survival instincts: J. Jayalalithaa, Mamata Banerjee, Mayawati, and Sheila Dikshit. These women, often defying social norms, became formidable political figures.
Dr J Jayalalithaa of Tamil Nadu was perhaps the most charismatic, transitioning from a celebrated film career to a dominant political force. Born on February 24, 1948, in Mysore, Karnataka, she was introduced to cinema by her widowed mother. Her success in Tamil films, particularly alongside M G Ramachandran (MGR), made her a household name.
MGR founded the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) in 1972 after splitting from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). Recognising Jayalalithaa’s popularity, he inducted her into the party in the early 1980s. She was nominated to the Rajya Sabha in 1984, and after MGR’s demise in 1987, she positioned herself as his political heir. The AIADMK, under her leadership, secured a decisive victory in the 1991 elections, making her the State’s youngest and first female Chief Minister.
Her tenure saw welfare initiatives such as the “Cradle Baby Scheme” to combat female infanticide and the establishment of all-women police stations.
However, extravagant displays of wealth, such as during her foster son’s 1995 wedding, led to criticism and AIADMK’s 1996 electoral defeat. She returned to power in 2001, 2011, and 2016, cementing her legacy.
Her first tenure was marred by corruption charges, leading to a conviction in 2014. Though acquitted by the Karnataka High Court in 2015, her reputation remained tainted. In September 2016, she was hospitalised for fever and dehydration. The secrecy surrounding her hospitalisation and subsequent death on December 5, 2016, at 68, led to speculation and controversy.
Mayawati, former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, lacked Jayalalithaa’s charisma but emerged as a formidable Dalit leader. Born on January 15, 1956, in Delhi, her political career was shaped by Kanshi Ram, founder of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). Her rise symbolised the empowerment of Dalits, challenging traditional caste
hierarchies.
Mayawati served as Uttar Pradesh’s Chief Minister four times (1995, 1997, 2002-2003, and 2007-2012). Her social engineering strategy united Dalits, Brahmins, and other communities, leading to a full-majority government in 2007. Dalits and marginalised groups credit her tenure for improved law and order.
However, controversies followed her. She accused Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav of conspiring to attack her in the 1995 “Guest House” incident. Her tenure was also marked by corruption allegations and extravagant expenditure on statues and memorials of Dalit icons, including herself. Critics saw this as self-aggrandisement, while supporters viewed it as symbolic empowerment.
Mamata Banerjee of Bengal, like Mayawati, is a political survivor. Born on January 5, 1955, in Kolkata, she started as a Youth Congress activist, battling the then-ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M). In the 1984 general elections, she defeated veteran Communist leader Somnath Chatterjee, becoming one of India’s youngest parliamentarians.
She served in Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao’s cabinet, but found her rise within Congress blocked. In 1998, she founded the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), initially aligning with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). She later joined the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led cabinet, handling key portfolios with administrative skill.
Back in Bengal, she continued her grassroots activism, leading movements against the CPI(M)’s land policies, notably in Singur and Nandigram. These campaigns resonated with the masses and led to the 2011 State elections, where the AITC-led alliance ended the Left Front’s 34-year rule. Banerjee became Bengal’s first female Chief Minister on May 20, 2011.
Fourteen years later, she continues to hold power, facing opposition from both the BJP and the CPI(M). Her governance has seen major infrastructural projects, social welfare schemes, and employment programs. However, allegations of corruption and political violence persist.
Sheila Dikshit, Delhi’s longest-serving Chief Minister, transformed the national capital over her 15-year tenure (1998-2013). Born on March 31, 1938, in Kapurthala, Punjab, her political career began in the 1980s. She was elected as an MP from Kannauj in 1984 and served as a minister in Rajiv Gandhi’s cabinet.
In 1998, she was appointed President of the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee and led the party to victory in the Assembly elections, unseating the BJP. Her governance was marked by infrastructural expansion, particularly the Delhi Metro, which revolutionised urban transport. The Metro’s success inspired similar projects in other cities.
Her tenure also saw improvements in roads, flyovers, and public transport, making Delhi a more liveable city. However, the 2011 Commonwealth Games were marred by corruption allegations, damaging her reputation.
The 2013 Delhi elections saw her defeat by Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party, ending her 15-year rule. Though she later contested elections in Uttar Pradesh and was briefly appointed Kerala Governor, her political career never recovered.
These four women faced unique challenges but have also left an indelible mark on governance. From Jayalalithaa’s ‘Amma’ for girl child and families, to Mayawati’s Dalit empowerment, Banerjee’s grassroots mobilization, and Dikshit’s urban reforms, each has shaped her state in distinct ways.
(John Dayal is an author, Editor, occasional
documentary film maker
and activist.)