New Delhi:

The new Delhi government led by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta will have six cabinet ministers, including former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Kapil Mishra. A Union Home Ministry notification on Thursday said that President Droupadi Murmu, on the advice of Ms Gupta, appointed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma, Ashish Sood, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Ravinder Indraj, Kapil Mishra and Pankaj Kumar Singh as ministers of the Delhi government.

They took oath along with Ms Gupta in a grand ceremony at the Ramlila Ground, which was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other dignitaries.

Here are the six ministers on Rekha Gupta’s new Delhi team:

Parvesh Verma

Parvesh Verma, a two-time BJP MP, defeated AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal from the New Delhi seat. Mr Verma is a prominent Jat face in the national capital.

Born on November 7, 1977, he is the son of former Delhi chief minister Sahib Singh Verma. He graduated from Kirori Mal College, Delhi University, and later earned an MBA from the Fore School of Management.

Rekha Gupta offers sweets to Parvesh Verma after she was named the new Chief Minister of Delhi
Photo Credit: ANI

Mr Verma is married to Swati Singh, the daughter of former Union Minister and BJP leader from Madhya Pradesh, Vikram Verma. They have three children.

Kapil Mishra

Kapil Mishra, a former AAP leader, won the Karawal Nagar constituency on a BJP ticket. Born on November 13, 1980, in Delhi, he is the son of Annapurna Mishra, a former East Delhi mayor, and Rameshwar Mishra, a socialist leader. He completed his education at Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar College.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah with Kapil Mishra during a public meeting at Karawal Nagar in Delhi on February 1
Photo Credit: ANI

He was appointed Delhi’s water resources minister in the Arvind Kejriwal-led government. In 2017, he was sacked from the cabinet and joined the BJP in 2019.

He was also accused of making hate speeches during communal riots in Delhi in 2020.

Manjinder Singh Sirsa

Manjinder Singh Sirsa is the Sikh face of the BJP. He won the 2025 Delhi assembly elections from Rajouri Garden.

Manjinder Singh Sirsa shows a victory sign after winning the Rajouri Garden seat in the Delhi Assembly Election on February 8
Photo Credit: ANI

A three-time MLA, Mr Sirsa was earlier associated with the Shiromani Akali Dal.

Ashish Sood

Ashish Sood is a known face in Delhi’s Punjabi community. Born on September 2, 1966, Mr Sood, a first-time MLA from Janakpuri, is a senior leader with some hands-on experience in administrative matters gained during BJP’s rule in the South Delhi Municipal Corporation.

He has also been the vice president of BJP’s Delhi unit.

Ashish Sood with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a poll rally in Delhi on January 31

He is also BJP’s in-charge for Goa, and co-in-charge for the party’s Jammu and Kashmir unit.

Pankaj Kumar Singh 

BJP’s Pankaj Kumar Singh is a first-time MLA from Vikaspuri.

Pankaj Kumar Singh shows a victory sign as he arrives at the Delhi BJP office in New Delhi after the Assembly election results
Photo Credit: PTI

A Purvanchali leader, Mr Singh is a dentist by profession.

Ravinder Indraj Singh

Ravinder Indraj Singh is BJP’s Dalit leader. He won the Bawana (SC) seat by more than 31,000 votes.

He has also been an executive member of BJP’s Scheduled Caste Morcha.

After AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal questioned the silence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the deteriorating law and order situation in the national capital, the BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa launched a scathing attack against the former chief minister, alleging that Kejriwal himself had “ruined Delhi” and turned Tihar Jail into an “extortion centre.”

Sirsa stated, “Arvind Kejriwal has completely destroyed Delhi. What enmity do you have with the people of Delhi, who gave you such a massive mandate? Today, criminals are operating freely from Tihar Jail under your watch, orchestrating murders and extortion. Tihar Jail has become a hub of criminal activities, and it seems you have a strange attachment to the place, indulging in financial dealings even from there.”

He further claimed that as per conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar, Rs 16 crore were taken from him. “If you can’t handle Delhi’s situation, then step aside, we will take care of it. Stop ruining Delhi and endangering its citizens,” he added.

Sirsa also criticised Kejriwal’s failure to fulfil promises made to the people of Delhi, alleging, “He promised to build schools and universities, but not a single one has materialised. He vowed to improve water quality and clean the Yamuna, but nothing has been done. The only promise he has kept is filling his own pockets.”

Earlier, Arvind Kejriwal questioned the ‘silence’ of Union Home Minister Amit Shah over a spurt in incidents of crimes in the national Capital, stating that the onus for the security of Delhiites lies with him.

Kejriwal’s direct charge at the Centre came after twin murders rocked the national Capital on Saturday.

In an interaction with IANS, the former Chief Minister said that the issue of the city’s law and order rests with the Home Minister and his silence is raising many questions.

“Just the way I am responsible for Delhi’s education and health, he is accountable for law and order. Why is Amit Shah silent, why is he not giving any answer when so many crime incidents are happening in the city daily?” he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, is celebrating his 73rd birthday today, and BJP units all across India are observing his special day with diverse celebratory events. At Gurdwara Sri Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan, devotees led by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa prayed for him on this occasion.

Speaking on occasion the BJP leader said, “A historic occasion unfolded as prayers were held for PM Narendra Modi Ji across the border at Gurdwara Sri Kartarpur Sahib. Today morning, we crossed the Sri Kartarpur Sahib Corridor to offer prayers at the revered Gurdwara Sri Kartarpur Sahib. Our heartfelt prayers were dedicated to the well-being of all humanity and the peace and prosperity of our nation.”

It has been a blessed day as we crossed Sri Kartarpur Sahib Corridor to pay obeisance at the sacred Gurdwara Sri Kartarpur Sahib, where our prayers resonated for the well-being of humanity, peace & prosperity of our nation.
We offered Rumala And Chandoya Sahib at the Gurdwara… pic.twitter.com/otBMdz9IQz

— Manjinder Singh Sirsa (@mssirsa) September 17, 2023

The group of devotees presented Chandoa and Rumala Sahib sets at the Gurdwara Sahib and fervently prayed for the long, healthy life and continued prosperity of Prime Minister Modi. Mr Sirsa also praised the Prime Minister for his role in making the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor a reality.

“His instrumental role in making the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor a reality fulfils a longstanding wish of the Sikh community,” he added.

Head Granthi of Gurdwara Sahib S Giani Gobind Singh and Pakistan Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee Member S Inderjit Singh extended their best wishes to Prime Minister Modi and presented him with a turban, a siropa (robe of honor), and prasad (sacred food) as a token of respect and goodwill.

In an earlier conversation with reporters, Sirsa called upon both the Indian and Pakistani governments to streamline the passport checking process, making it easier for pilgrims visiting Kartarpur Sahib.

“This corridor was an impossible task which was made possible by the blessings of Guru Nanak Dev…PM Modi made it possible so we request the Indian government and Pakistan government that the visit to Kartarpur Sahib should even further be simplified in terms of passport checking,” he said.

The Kartarpur Corridor is a 4.7-kilometre-long visa-free corridor that connects Dera Baba Nanak Sahib in India to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan. The corridor was inaugurated in 2019 to commemorate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev. This corridor allows Sikh pilgrims from India to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, the final resting place of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism.

The Kartarpur Corridor is a significant development for Sikh pilgrims, who have long desired to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib without having to go through a lengthy and complicated visa process.

(With inputs from ANI)