Kailash Gahlot won the Delhi Assembly Election 2020 from Najafgarh (File)
Kailash Gahlot, the Aam Aadmi Party MLA from Delhi's Najafgarh constituency, took care of one of the most important focus areas of Arvind Kejriwal's previous government- public transport. He will take oath as the Cabinet minister on Sunday, along with Mr Kejriwal, who will be sworn in as Delhi Chief Minister.
Last week, AAP recorded a massive victory in the Delhi elections by bagging 62 of its 70 assembly seats, leaving just eight for the BJP. The Congress drew a blank for the second consecutive time.
"I love you Delhi," the Chief Minister had declared from the party office, predicting the beginning of a "new kind of politics" focussed on local issues and the government's delivery.
Mr Gahlot had won the 2015 polls from the constituency, when the Aam Aadmi Party had won a record mandate, winning 67 out of the 70 seats. In the 2020 election, Mr Gahlot repeated his performance.
Mr Gahlot, as the Cabinet minister, enforced several big schemes for the Arvind Kejriwal government. As a transport minister, he supervised the AAP government's "bus marshal" programme wherein security personnel were deployed on Delhi state transport buses to provide security to passengers.
He also implemented AAP's scheme to waive the cost of bus tickets for women. He also defended the Delhi government tooth and nail when it came under attack from the Opposition over pollution in the national capital.
He helped implement AAP's Odd-even scheme last year to curb vehicular pollution.
Mr Gahlot, a close confidante of Mr Kejriwal, will take oath of office along with Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain, Gopal Rai, Imran Hussain and Rajendra Gautam at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan.