New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Raghuvinder Shokeen is poised to become the new Cabinet Minister in the Delhi government, following the resignation of Kailash Gehlot from both his post and the party. Chief Minister Atishi has forwarded Shokeen's appointment file to the Lieutenant Governor for approval.
Raghuvinder Shokeen, an AAP candidate, secured a victory in the Nangloi Jat Assembly seat in the last election, defeating BJP's Manoj Kumar Shokeen. He has represented the constituency as an MLA for three consecutive terms since 2015.
Raghuvinder Shokeen was born in Haryana's Kurukshetra city and pursued his engineering from there only. He entered politics in his college days, and in 2015, he got a ticket from the party to contest the Assembly elections for the first time. In the 2020 Assembly elections, he again won the same seat as an AAP candidate.
According to the affidavit filed by him, no criminal case is registered against the 57-year-old MLA. In the affidavit given to the Election Commission, Shokeen has claimed himself as a businessman by profession.
Considering Raghuvinder Shokeen as a replacement for Kailash Gehlot, Chief Minister Atishi decided to induct him into the cabinet and forwarded his file to the Lieutenant Governor.
After being selected for the ministerial post, Shokeen expressed his gratitude to AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal, leader Manish Sisodia, and other senior party leaders.
Praising the AAP, Shokeen said, "The party always includes all communities, whether Jats or others, while the BJP has consistently worked against Jats, be it the farmers' movement, the wrestlers' issue, or Haryana elections." He added, "In the Aam Aadmi Party, we unite everyone. I will make the most of this opportunity and focus on developing Delhi in a better way."
Senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia asserted that Raghuvinder Shokeen, a popular MLA of the Nangloi assembly in Kejriwal's team, will do a good job as a Cabinet minister.
