From dentistry to Delhi cabinet: Pankaj Singh rises as BJP’s Poorvanchali leader

Pankaj Kumar Singh, a dental surgeon-turned-politician, has emerged as a key face in the newly formed Rekha Gupta government in Delhi. Sworn in as a minister on Thursday, Singh won from the Vikaspuri seat, securing a victory margin of over 12,000 votes. His induction into the cabinet signals the BJP's strategic focus on the Purvanchali voter base, a significant electoral force in the national capital.

A debutant legislator, Singh (48) has long been associated with the BJP, serving as the general secretary of the party’s Poorvanchal Morcha in Delhi. Poorvanchalis — migrants from eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand — hold sway in several constituencies, making Singh's inclusion a clear nod to their political importance.

Speaking to PTI, Singh outlined his priorities - infrastructure and basic amenities. “The basic facilities which should be provided to the people of Delhi have not been given to them. Our efforts will be to provide facilities to the people of the national capital and to fulfil Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a developed Delhi,” he said. His agenda includes improving roads, hospitals, schools, drinking water supply, and cleaning the Yamuna river.

Singh’s political journey began at the grassroots level. Before securing his Assembly seat, he served as a municipal leader in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), gaining experience in governance. He holds a Bachelor's degree in dentistry from Magadh University, Bodh Gaya, Bihar. 

His induction into the Delhi Cabinet also comes at a time when Bihar is gearing up for elections later this year, highlighting the BJP’s broader political calculations. Singh’s rise coincides with the party’s historic comeback in Delhi, where the BJP ended the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) decade-long rule by winning 48 out of 70 Assembly seats. AAP, which had secured a landslide victory with 62 seats in 2020, saw its numbers dwindle to just 22 in this election.