New Delhi, September 19: Two time Babarpur MLA Gopal Rai retained in the new Council of Ministers headed by chief minister designate Atishi, slated to take oath on September 21, is a longtime associate of party convener Arvind Kejriwal and a founding member of the AAP.

Rai, a purvanchali face of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), hails from Mau district in eastern Uttar Pradesh. As a student of the Lucknow University, he was active in students politics campaigning over issues of corruption and crime on campuses, and faced a bullet injury causing partial paralysis. Atishi’s Delhi Cabinet: AAP’s Saurabh Bhardwaj, 3-Time MLA From Greater Kailash, Retained in New Council of Ministers; Know All About Him.

He was engaged in the India Against Corruption movement led by veteran social activist Anna Hazare and Kejriwal in 2011. Rai later on joined the AAP formed a year later by Kejriwal and his close associates. Beginning his political innings, Rai unsuccessfully contested the 2013 assembly polls from the Babarpur constituency. In 2017, he was appointed the convener of AAP's Delhi unit, a post held by him since then. Delhi Government Formation 2024: Mukesh Ahlawat Among 5 AAP MLAs Who Will Take Oath as Ministers With CM-Designate Atishi, List of All Names Here.

The senior AAP leader won the Babarpur seat successively in 2015 and 2020, and joined the Kejriwal government that took reins of Delhi. In 2015, he became the minister for the first time given charge of the transport and labour portfolio. He was the minister of Environment and Forests, Development and General Administration Department of the outgoing Kejriwal government formed in 2020.

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