Meet the ministers in Delhi CM Rekha Gupta's cabinet

New Delhi: BJP has taken into consideration caste and other factors while choosing a woman Chief Minister and six other ministers in Delhi where it has returned to power after a gap of 27 years.

While Chief Minister Rekha Gupta belongs to the trader's community, the ministers in her cabinet include a Jat, a Sikh, a Dalit, a Punjabi and two Poorvanchalis, including a Brahmin.

The choice of Gupta ticks two boxes – gender and a prominent community in the national capital as well as counter to its main opposition AAP, which has considerable influence among both.

The party has also considered several factors while choosing to fill six ministers while aspirants will now be looking at the posts of Speaker, Deputy Speaker and Chief Whip. Senior leaders Vijender Gupta and Mohan Singh Bisht are speculated to be next Speaker and Deputy Speaker.

Ministers in Rekha Gupta’s Cabinet

Parvesh Verma: One with considerable influence among Jats, Verma’s name figures in the notification of ministers shows his prominence. He comes in as the giant killer who defeated AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal in New Delhi. The 47-year-old son of former Delhi Chief Minister Sahib Singh Verma, he was a two-time MP from West Delhi and was controversial for his communal remarks.

Ashish Sood: The 58-year-old Janakpuri MLA, who represents the Punjabi community, brings in his experience as Leader of the House of South Delhi Municipal Corporation. A quintessential organisation man, he rose from the ranks of ABVP to become party in-charge in Goa and co-incharge in Jammu and Kashmir. He knows the Delhi BJP as the back of his hand.

Manjinder Singh Sirsa: An influential Akali Dal leader till recently, the 52-year-old is BJP’s door to the Sikh community in Delhi. A National Secretary in the BJP, he is also president of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee and has been a vocal critic of AAP and Kejriwal. He won from Rajouri Garden seat.

Ravinder Indraj Singh: The 50-year-old son of former MLA Indraj Singh is the Dalit face of the new Cabinet. He won from Bawana seat and is a member of the national executive of BJP SC Morcha.

Kapil Mishra: The youngest in the Cabinet, this is 44-year-old Mishra’s return to Delhi Cabinet but from a different party. He had resigned from the AAP government accusing Arvind Kejriwal of corruption and joined BJP. He had been in the news for controversial Hindutva remarks. A Brahmin by caste, he represents

Pankaj Kumar Singh: The 48-year-old dentist represents the upper caste Thakurs and Poorvanchalis.