Thawar Chand Gehlot: The Scheduled Caste face in Narendra Modi's cabinet

NEW DELHI: Thawar Chand Gehlot, one of the most recognised BJP face for Scheduled Castes in Madhya Pradesh, today made it to the senior ranks of the Narendra Modi government when he was sworn in as a Cabinet Minister.

66-year-old Gehlot, a Rajya Sabha member, is BJP's national general secretary.

His inclusion in the Union Cabinet is seen as giving representation to the under-privileged section of the society.

Gehlot has tested electoral waters earlier as he has been a member of 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th Lok Sabha from Shajapur constituency in the state.

He was elected to Rajya Sabha in May 2012 and is an old party loyalist.

Gehlot has held several positions in state and was also head of BJP's Scheduled Castes Cell.

He was also deputed as the central observer of the party for Gujarat and is considered close to Modi.