Days after securing an unprecedented victory in Delhi Legislative Assembly polls, the Bharatiya Janata Party is finalising its caste and community combination for possible Cabinet positions in the soon to be formed government.
One candidate each from Poorvanchali, Bania, Punjabi, Jat, Brahmin, Woman and Sikh communities are likely to find a place in the Delhi Cabinet, sources said.
By accommodating these communities, the BJP hopes to ensure representation for all major communities and castes that have supported it in the ousting of the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party from power in the national capital.
The social engineering being worked out by senior party leadership will ensure that voting blocks and communities that supported the BJP in the recent Assembly polls and Lok Sabha polls last year receive adequate representation in the Delhi cabinet. The BJP hopes that this accommodation is expected to boost the political standing of the saffron front in the national capital.
Why only 7 cabinet berths
In other states, 15 percent of the Assembly strength can be made ministers. However, in Delhi, only 10 percent of the Assembly seats i.e. a total of 7 ministers can be made. There are 70 members in the Delhi Legislative Assembly. BJP has won 48 seats and Aam Aadmi Party has won 22 seats in the recent polls. According to the formula in Delhi, a total of 7 ministers including the Chief Minister can be in the cabinet. That means one Chief Minister and 6 cabinet ministers.
The BJP can also accommodate two more of its MLAs, and communities, in the significant positions of Assembly Speaker and Deputy Speaker. That means a total of 9 MLAs can be adjusted in power, and hence the same number of communities.
At this time BJP has got votes from all castes, religions and states. In such a situation, the challenge of the party has increased further to accommodate aspirations of all these communities.
Interestingly, not a single Muslim has won on the BJP symbol in the recent polls. Hence, there is no possibility of any Muslim getting a place in the cabinet this time. This policy will be in accordance with the saffron front governments functioning in other states, which too have this peculiar situation.
