Raghuvinder Shokeen takes oath as minister | Delhi News

New Delhi: Raghuvinder ShokeenTHE PAA MP of Nangloi Jat, was sworn in as a minister in the Delhi government on Friday.
Shokeen was sworn in by Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena at Raj Niwas. The ceremony was attended by Chief Minister Atishi.
He was inducted into the Delhi cabinet on November 18 after AAP’s prominent Jat leader and transport minister Kailash Gahlot quit the party. Shokeen is a Jat leader from the outskirts of Delhi.
In a bid to control the damage caused by Gahlot’s departure, the AAP announced Shokeen’s induction. A two-time MP from Nangloi Jat, Shokeen’s presence in the cabinet is expected to attract rural voters to the AAP.
Before becoming an MP, Shokeen served as a councilor for two terms. Party sources said they were yet to confirm the portfolios he would be given.
However, with the code of conduct due to be announced in a few weeks, this decision is unlikely to have any impact on governance at this time.
The AAP had earlier accused the BJP of deliberately causing a “delay” in Shokeen’s swearing-in. “On November 18, the AAP government sent the file to appoint MP Raghuvinder Shokeen as minister, but it is yet to be approved,” party spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar said.
“Shokeen is a popular face of the Jat. He will influence voters living in rural areas of the city in favor of the AAP,” a party leader said. The Jat vote percentage is around 4-5% in Delhi, mainly concentrated in rural areas.