“The two basic criteria for selection were based on reflecting the changing demographics of Delhi and to have an overwhelming representation of the youth in our party,” said Kohli.

Although insiders claim Vijay Kumar Malhotra’s loyalists have been weeded out. MLA Shyam Lal Garg’s post as treasurer has been handed to traders’ association president Praveen Khandelwal. The latter had lost his maiden Assembly election run from Chandni Chowk.

Old-timers like Harsharan Singh Balli and Neera Shastri have been kept aside, while Standing Committee chairman Vijendra Gupta has not found a place in the executive body either. Balli and Gupta have, however, been accommodated as special invitees. Another old-timer Nand Kishore Garg, who lost the elections for the second time from Tri Nagar, has re-entered the executive.

Four of the key executive members are from the youth wing. First-time MLA from Kirari constituency, Anil Jha has allotted the post of vice-president. Jha previously served in the DUSU.

Kohli had announced during his earlier discussions with party workers that MLAs and councillors will be kept out of the executive. In keeping with the argument, old hands like Vijendra Gupta and Harsharan Singh Balli have been kept out, the exceptions being Anil Jha and Tughlaqabad MLA Ramesh Biduri.

“No decision is absolute. Jha represents the Poorvanchali population and is also a young face,” Kohli said, defending his decision.

Three others from the youth wing include R P Singh, who has been appointed as general secretary, Ashish Sood and Satish Updhyaya, taken on as secretaries, all of whom have been part of ABVP. Late Sahib Singh Verma’s son Parvesh Verma has been also been accommodated in the executive as secretary.