Prakash Javadekar, 63, hails from Pune and was a member of the party’s student wing ABVP. His mentor late Pramod Mahajan helped elevate him as a national spokesperson of the BJP. Earlier, when the Shiv Sena-BJP came to power, Javadekar was made Chairman of the IT Task Force in Maharashtra.He is at ease on issues ranging from environment to economic issuesA Supreme Court lawyer, Prasad has been BJP general secretary and chief spokesperson. Currently serving his third term in the Rajya Sabha, the 59-year-old Prasad was minister of state for coal and mines, law and justice and information and broadcasting in the Vajpayee government. Prasad fought the Ayodhya Ram temple case as an advocate for the deity.Very well-versed in legal issues and articulateA five-time BJP MP from East Champaran, Radha Mohan Singh made it to the Union Cabinet outwitting Rajiv Pratap Ruddy, who may be given state BJP responsibilites now. Singh is considered close to Sushil Modi. Singh who started attending Sakhas at the age of 13 rose from the ranks to become the state BJP president.A leader close to ground realitiesThough more interested in Maharashtra politics than the Centre, Munde, 64, agreed to become a minister despite the assembly polls in his home state being just four months away. He entered the Lok Sabha for the first time only in 2009 when he won the Beed seat. Due to his vast experience in state politics, Munde was made deputy leader of the BJP in the 15th Lok Sabha. He’s also known as a sugar baron. Once a protégé of Nitish Kumar, Upendra Prasad Kushwaha, 54, formed his own party last year. Kushwaha, who projects himself as future Bihar CM, may create problems for BJP later. He twice fell out with Nitish despite the latter helping him get nominated to Rajya Sabha in 2010.Will help BJP make inroads among backwardsHaving won the Raigad seat six times, Geete (62) is Shiv Sena’s senior most MP. He first defeated veteran Congress leaders AR Antulay in 1996. He was minister of state for finance in the Vajpayee government. He also held the power portfolio for some months after Sena MP Suresh Prabhu’s exit the Vajpayee cabinet.Fiery orator. Takes clear stand on issuesBJP leader DV Sadananda Gowda, 61, was the Opposition leader of the Karnataka Legislative Council. His ‘clean’ image and stint as chief minister has helped catapult him into the Modi Cabinet. A hitherto low-profile politician, and MP from Bangalore North, Gowda belongs the powerful Vokkaliga community.Honest and amiableGajapati Raju, 62, a Telugu Desam Party veteran and seven-term legislator, has held various ministries in Andhra Pradesh. A member of Pusapati royal family, Raju’s father too was a parliamentarian.Second generation MP. Has ministerial experienceThough more interested in Maharashtra politics than the Centre, Munde, 64, agreed to become a minister despite the assembly polls in his home state being just four months away. He entered the Lok Sabha for the first time only in 2009 when he won the Beed seat. Due to his vast experience in state politics, Munde was made deputy leader of the BJP in the 15th Lok Sabha. He’s also known as a sugar baron.This relative of Pramod Mahajan has dealt with many crisesA former BJP president, Naidu was rural development minister in the Vajpayee government. Known for his organizational skills, Naidu was an acolyte of BJP veteran LK Advani but has moved closer to Modi in the last two years. He has spearheaded BJP’s foray into the southern states in the last few months. Naidu, 64, who hails from Nellore in Andhra Pradesh, was initially opposed to the bifurcation of the state but accepted the party line and supported the formation of Telangana in Parliament.Former Minister, Naidu is BJP face in South. Good negotiatorFirebrand leader Uma Bharti, 55, had returned to the BJP in 2011 years after being expelled following her differences with LK Advani. Her rehabilitation seems complete with her induction in the cabinetHindutva face. WhimsicalThe BJP loyalist overcame the disappointment of being unable to form the Delhi state government after December’s assembly elections, because of the strong showing by the Aam Aadmi Party, and won handsomely from the Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha constituency. As Delhi state health minister in Madan Lal Khurana’s government, Harshvardhan has been credited with giving a vital push to the anti-polio drive in Delhi, resulting in zero cases during his tenure.Honest to the core. CommittedA Dalit leader from the Pasi community of Bihar, Paswan held the record for the highest Lok Sabha victory margin until a few years ago. He was a minister in the Vajpayee government as well. It was based on son Chirag’s advice that the LJP headed by Paswan allied with the BJP before the election. It paid off with the party winning six of the seven seats it contested. Paswan has represented Hajipur six times since 1977, when he entered the Lok Sabha for the first time.Dalit face, good at reading tea leavesThis former BJP president established himself in Maharashtra by dint of his loyalty to the RSS, although he was no favourite of Gopinath Munde or Pramod Mahajan. Gadkari earned a reputation as a capable state minister thanks to several infrastructure projects. But allegations over dubious deals regarding his Purti group surfaced to haunt him in 2012. The clamour for his resignation from the party’s top post at the time seemed to emanate from the Modi camp. But his appointment as minister clearly shows that his closeness to the RSS has worked for him.Experienced hand at infrastructure building at low costA former Congress general secretary, Heptulla quit the party in 2004 to join the BJP and went on to become its vice president. She’s the grandniece of freedom fighter Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.Has good relations with the CongressA Lok Sabha member for seven terms, Gandhi entered politics after she fell out with her mother-inlaw Indira Gandhi. She unsuccessfully contested her first election in 1983 from Amethi against her brother-in-law Rajiv Gandhi.Her commitment to causes makes her stand outWife of Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, 48, has been working for women’s issues and conservation, and is credited for gender budgeting by Punjab government.Very vocal on Sikh and farmer issues