NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced the allocation of portfolios among members of the Council of Ministers on Thursday evening, keeping with her finance, services, vigilance, revenue, women and child development among other departments.
Addressing her first press conference as CM after the Cabinet meeting of the new government, Gupta said her Cabinet colleague Parvesh Verma was given charge of PWD, water, legislative affairs, irrigation and flood control, while Ashish Sood got home, power, urban development and education portfolios.
Minister Kapil Mishra got law and justice, labour and employment, and tourism, while his cabinet colleague Manjinder Singh Sirsa received industries, forest and environment, food and supply departments.
Pankaj Singh was allocated health, transport and information technology departments, while Ravinder Indraj got social welfare, SC & ST welfare, cooperative and elections, the CM said.
The newly-formed Delhi Cabinet in its first meeting approved the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme in the national capital and also decided to present 14 pending CAG reports in the first session of the assembly.
Rekha Gupta said that the previous AAP government did not allow the health scheme in the city, preventing the people from availing its benefits.
Delhi's new Council of Ministers
Parvesh Verma
Verma, who defeated Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal in the New Delhi Assembly constituency, was a strong contender for the chief minister’s post. A prominent Jat leader, he follows in the footsteps of his late father, former Delhi Chief Minister Sahib Singh Verma (1996-1998). His elevation is expected to strengthen BJP’s support among Jat voters.
Ashish Sood
Sood, the Janakpuri MLA, has been active in party organisation for decades. He serves as the BJP’s Goa in-charge and Jammu and Kashmir co-in-charge. A former councillor who held multiple positions in the trifurcated Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), his administrative experience is expected to benefit the city’s governance.
Manjinder Singh Sirsa
Sirsa, an MLA from Rajouri Garden, is a key Punjabi leader in Delhi with strong backing from the BJP’s top leadership. A vocal critic of the AAP government, his inclusion in the cabinet is seen as a move to bolster BJP’s prospects in Punjab.
Ravinder Indraj Singh
A prominent Dalit leader, Singh won the Bawana seat from AAP. As president of the BJP’s Scheduled Caste (SC) Morcha in Delhi, he has consistently advocated for SC/ST rights. An industrialist, his appointment is expected to enhance BJP’s outreach to Dalit voters.
Pankaj Kumar Singh
Singh, a former MCD councillor, defeated AAP’s candidate in Vikaspuri in the 2025 Delhi Assembly election. A dentist by profession, he has been actively involved in social work in the area. His expertise is expected to contribute to governance in Delhi.
Kapil Mishra
A two-time MLA from Karawal Nagar, Mishra was previously a minister in the AAP government before joining BJP in 2019. Mishra's growth in BJP took a swift turn after he allegedly instigated the 2020 Delhi riots which killed at least 53 people, mostly Muslims.
Mishra issued a public ultimatum to the Delhi Police on February 23, 2020, declaring that if the force did not clear the streets of the anti-CAA protesters, his supporters would be "forced to hit the streets."
Currently the vice president of Delhi BJP, he is a key Purvanchali leader. His elevation is seen as an effort to consolidate Purvanchali voters ahead of upcoming elections.
