First-time MLA Rekha Gupta took oath as the Chief Minister of Delhi on Thursday in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and NDA Chief Ministers in a mega show of unity at the iconic Ramlila Maidan. Gupta, all smiles and wearing a jacket over a red saree, reminiscent of the dress code of BJP stalwart Sushma Swaraj, was sworn in by Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena amid ‘Jai Shri Ram’ chants from the 30,000-strong crowd.

Besides Gupta, six other MLAs, including Parvesh Verma, Manjinder Singh Sirsa and Kapil Mishra, took oath as Cabinet ministers. Ashish Sood, Pankaj Kumar Singh and Ravinder Indraj Singh were also sworn in as ministers in the government formed by the BJP after 27 years.

While the portfolios are yet to be allotted, the Cabinet appointments indicate a well-balancing of caste equations by the BJP.

While Manjinder Singh Sirsa is from the Sikh community, Parvesh Verma is an influential Jat leader. Kapil Mishra is the BJP’s Brahmin face, Ashish Sood is from the Punjabi Khatri community, while Ravinder Singh is a Dalit leader.

Pankaj Kumar Singh, first-time MLA from Vikaspuri and a dentist by profession, is a known face among the Purvanchali community, which switched from the AAP to vote en masse for the BJP this time.

BJP veteran and three-time Rohini MLA Vijender Gupta, who won in 2015 and 2020 amid the Arvind Kejriwal wave, will be the Assembly Speaker and Mohan Bisht his deputy.