Who is Mukesh Kumar Ahlawat, the new face in Delhi Cabinet?
PTC Web Desk: Delhi is set for a major political shift as Atishi will be sworn in as the new Chief Minister on September 21. This marks a historic moment, with Atishi becoming the youngest Chief Minister in Delhi's history. Alongside her, five ministers, including Mukesh Kumar Ahlawat, the new face in the Delhi Cabinet, will also take their oaths.
Who is Mukesh Kumar Ahlawat?
One of the most notable additions to the new Cabinet is Mukesh Kumar Ahlawat, the MLA from Sultanpur Majra Assembly constituency. Ahlawat won his seat in the 2020 Delhi Assembly Elections by a margin of 48,052 votes, defeating BJP's Ram Chander Chawriya. He garnered 74,573 votes with a 66.51% vote share, while the BJP candidate received 26,521 votes.
Ahlawat's political rise has been impressive, especially given that he will fill the SC-ST quota in the Delhi Cabinet, which had remained vacant since the resignation of Rajkumar Anand. His inclusion comes at a politically significant time, as AAP aims to strengthen its foothold within the SC-ST community ahead of the Assembly elections. Ahlawat’s role will be pivotal in appealing to the Dalit voter base, especially as 12 of the 70 assembly seats in Delhi are reserved for SC-ST candidates, and 18-19 constituencies have significant SC-ST populations.
Notably, the reshuffling of the Delhi Cabinet comes amid the AAP government’s attempts to recover from internal setbacks. Two former SC-ST Affairs ministers, Rajendra Pal Gautam and Rajkumar Anand, resigned amid controversies and later joined opposition parties. Gautam’s resignation followed his controversial remarks about Hindu deities, while Anand expressed dissatisfaction with the AAP government’s approach to SC-ST issues before joining the BJP.
The induction of Mukesh Ahlawat into the Cabinet is seen as a strategic move to address these grievances and bolster the AAP’s SC-ST outreach. Given the upcoming elections, the party is taking every step to secure the support of these communities. The move to appoint a new face like Ahlawat is a calculated one aimed at balancing political priorities and ensuring that no segment of the population feels alienated before the elections. However, Atishi’s tenure as Chief Minister and Mukesh Ahlawat’s role in the new Cabinet may be short-lived, with Assembly elections looming in February 2024.
Full List of Ministers in Atishi’s Cabinet
Atishi (Chief Minister)
Saurabh Bharadwaj
Kailash Gahlot
Gopal Rai
Imran Hussain
Mukesh Ahlawat (New entry)
- With inputs from agencies
