Farmers Movement Archive

Cabinet reshuffle: Firebrand Meenakshi Lekhi inducted as minister; Harsh Vardhan dropped

NEW DELHI: Firebrand BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi, who was elected for a second consecutive term as MP from the New Delhi seat, was inducted into the Union cabinet on Wednesday while health minister and Chandni Chowk MP Dr Harsh Vardhan was dropped in the cabinet reshuffle. Fifty-four-year-old Lekhi, who has been appointed as minister of state for external affairs and culture, is seen in the party as a trenchant critic of chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and a bulwark against the AAP government which BJP perceives as a threat in the capital. Dr Harsh Vardhan, a mild-mannered individual, had recently worked himself up into a fury against AAP during the Covid-19 pandemic. Lekhi, who is a Supreme Court lawyer and a good orator, has been active in local party activities, especially those directed against the AAP government. Around 10 days ago, she sat on a dharna along with other Delhi BJP leaders at Jantar Mantar, alleging that the AAP government had faked the oxygen shortage to hide its own shortcomings during the peak of the second Covid-19 wave. Last year when Kejriwal claimed that he was put under house arrest to stop him from visiting the protesting farmers, Lekhi accused him of doing drama. She has attacked the AAP government on various issues like ration distribution, air pollution, dengue, criticism of farm laws etc. As a lawyer, the Delhi University graduate who was born and brought up in Delhi, has taken up cases related to many significant issues like permanent commission for women officers in the armed forces. She was appointed BJP’s national spokesperson in 2013. Before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Lekhi won praise of top BJP leaders after her contempt petition against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for attributing his personal jibe against Prime Minister to the Supreme Court forced the Congress leader to tender an apology. Before joining politics, Lekhi was associated with several NGOs and also worked with Swadeshi Jagaran Manch, an organisation associated with RSS, and was invited by ex-BJP president Nitin Gadkari to join the party. She was appointed vice-president of BJP’s Mahila Morcha in 2010 and her political career took off. She was elected as MP first time in 2014. As a parliamentarian, Lekhi has been part of the drafting committees of important Bills, including Women’s Reservation Bill and Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Bill and has also served on different panels. In July 2019, she was appointed chairperson of the parliamentary committee on public undertakings. She is also a member of New Delhi Municipal Council.

The Times of India

2021-07-08

Delhi