Dr. Raj Kumar Verka is a prominent Dalit Congress politician from Amritsar, a three-time Member of the Punjab Legislative Assembly, and a former Punjab Cabinet Minister whose portfolios included Medical Education and Research, Social Justice and Empowerment and Minorities, and New and Renewable Energy Sources under Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi. A leader of the Valmiki community from the Majha region, he served two terms as Vice-Chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes with the rank of Minister of State, Government of India. He represented the Verka constituency in 2002 and the Amritsar West (SC) constituency in 2012 and 2017, before a brief move to the BJP in 2022 and a return to the Congress in 2023.
Dr. Raj Kumar Verka Biography, Wiki
| Field | Details |
| Full Name | Dr. Raj Kumar Verka |
| Date of Birth | 20 March 1963 |
| Age (2026) | 63 years |
| Birthplace | Amritsar, Punjab, India |
| Hometown | Kennedy Avenue, Amritsar, Punjab |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Religion | Hinduism (Valmiki community) |
| Caste or Community | Valmiki (Scheduled Caste) |
| Zodiac Sign | Pisces |
| Height | Not publicly confirmed |
| Weight | Not publicly confirmed |
| Eye Colour | Not publicly confirmed |
| Hair Colour | Not publicly confirmed |
| Profession | Politician |
| Known For | Former Punjab Minister of Medical Education and Research, three-time MLA, former Vice-Chairman National Commission for Scheduled Castes, prominent Dalit leader |
| Father’s Name | Jai Chand |
| Mother’s Name | Not publicly confirmed |
| Siblings | Not publicly confirmed |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Wife | Not publicly confirmed (name not disclosed in official records, in government service) |
| Children | Not publicly confirmed |
| School | Not publicly confirmed |
| College or University | Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar; Desh Bhagat University (honorary doctorate) |
| Degree or Qualification | 12th Pass (BA 1st year, GNDU Amritsar); Doctor Honoris Causa, Desh Bhagat University |
| Political Party | Indian National Congress (INC); briefly Bharatiya Janata Party (June 2022 to October 2023) |
| Current Position or Role | Congress leader, Amritsar; former Punjab Cabinet Minister; former three-time MLA |
| Net Worth (estimated) | Rs 3.16 crore (declared assets, 2022 EC affidavit) |
| Monthly Income (estimated) | Approximately Rs 1.10 lakh (declared annual self income FY 2020 to 2021, Rs 13,20,000, salary) |
| Twitter/X | Not publicly confirmed |
| Not publicly confirmed | |
| Not publicly confirmed | |
| YouTube | Not publicly confirmed |
| Official Website | Not publicly confirmed |
Dr. Raj Kumar Verka Election History
| Year | Constituency | Party | Result | Votes | Notes |
| 2002 | Verka, Amritsar | INC | Won | Not publicly confirmed | First MLA win; later chaired Punjab IT Corporation |
| 2007 | Verka / Amritsar West | INC | Lost | Not publicly confirmed | Lost; bounced back in 2012 |
| 2012 | Amritsar West (SC), Amritsar | INC | Won | Not publicly confirmed | Second MLA win |
| 2017 | Amritsar West (SC), Amritsar | INC | Won | Not publicly confirmed | Third MLA win; later Cabinet Minister under CM Channi |
| 2022 | Amritsar West (SC), Amritsar | INC | Lost | Not publicly confirmed | Lost; joined BJP in June 2022 |
Dr. Raj Kumar Verka Events
| Year | Event |
| 20 March 1963 | Born in Amritsar, Punjab |
| 2002 | Elected MLA from Verka constituency for the first time |
| 2002 to 2004 | Chairman, Punjab Information Technology Corporation |
| 2004 to 2007 | Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Punjab government |
| 2007 | Lost Assembly election |
| 2012 | Elected MLA from Amritsar West (SC) |
| 2016 | Among 42 INC MLAs who submitted resignations over the Supreme Court’s SYL canal ruling |
| 2017 | Re-elected MLA from Amritsar West (SC) for a third term |
| 2018 | Appointed Chairman, Punjab State Warehousing Corporation (with Cabinet Minister status) |
| September 2021 | Appointed Punjab Cabinet Minister under CM Charanjit Singh Channi (Medical Education and Research, Social Justice and Empowerment and Minorities, New and Renewable Energy Sources) |
| 2022 | Lost Amritsar West (SC) Assembly seat |
| 4 June 2022 | Joined the Bharatiya Janata Party along with Balbir Singh Sidhu, Gurpreet Singh Kangar, Sundar Sham Arora, and others |
| 13 October 2023 | Announced “ghar wapsi”; quit BJP and rejoined the Congress |
| Two terms (various years) | Served as Vice-Chairman, National Commission for Scheduled Castes, with rank of Minister of State, Government of India |
Dr. Raj Kumar Verka Early Life and Family
Dr. Raj Kumar Verka was born on 20 March 1963 in Amritsar, Punjab, into a family of the Valmiki community, one of the Scheduled Caste communities of Punjab. His father’s name is Jai Chand, as recorded in his 2022 Election Commission affidavit. He built his entire political career in Amritsar district, becoming one of the most prominent Dalit leaders of the Majha region over more than two decades. His residential base is at Kennedy Avenue, Amritsar.
Dr. Raj Kumar Verka Father
His father’s name is Jai Chand, as confirmed in his 2022 Election Commission affidavit.
Dr. Raj Kumar Verka Mother
His mother’s name is not publicly disclosed in any official or credible media record.
Dr. Raj Kumar Verka Siblings and Family Background
Details about siblings are not publicly confirmed. His wife is in government service, as listed in his 2022 Election Commission affidavit under spouse profession “Service” with salary income. Her name is not disclosed in any available publicly listed. Information about children is not publicly available.
Dr. Raj Kumar Verka Education
Dr. Raj Kumar Verka’s educational qualification is categorised as 12th Pass in his 2022 Election Commission affidavit, which also notes he completed the first year of a BA at Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. He was later awarded the honorary degree of Doctor Honoris Causa by the governing body of Desh Bhagat University for his contribution to Indian political and social work under the Faculty of Social Science, which is the basis for the “Dr.” prefix he uses.
Dr. Raj Kumar Verka Career
Dr. Raj Kumar Verka lists his profession as “Service” in his 2022 Election Commission affidavit, with salary as his income source, reflecting a career built entirely around elected office, party organisation, and public appointments rather than private business.
Dr. Raj Kumar Verka as Punjab Minister
During the Charanjit Singh Channi Congress government (September 2021 to March 2022), Dr. Raj Kumar Verka served as a Punjab Cabinet Minister holding several portfolios, including Medical Education and Research, Social Justice and Empowerment and Minorities, and New and Renewable Energy Sources. Before that, he served as Chairman of the Punjab State Warehousing Corporation from 2018, a post that carried Cabinet Minister status. Earlier in his career, he was Chairman of the Punjab Information Technology Corporation from 2002 to 2004 and Chief Parliamentary Secretary from 2004 to 2007.
Dr. Raj Kumar Verka at the National Commission for Scheduled Castes
Dr. Raj Kumar Verka served two terms as Vice-Chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, holding the rank of Minister of State, Government of India, a significant national-level appointment reflecting his standing as a Dalit leader within the Congress party.
Dr. Raj Kumar Verka Political Journey and Elections
Dr. Raj Kumar Verka made his electoral debut from the Verka Assembly constituency in 2002, winning his first MLA seat. He went on to chair the Punjab Information Technology Corporation (2002 to 2004) and served as Chief Parliamentary Secretary (2004 to 2007). After a defeat in 2007, he recovered to win the Amritsar West (SC) seat in 2012 and again in 2017, building a three-term Assembly record across two constituencies.
He was among the 42 Congress MLAs who submitted their resignations in 2016 in protest against the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) water canal. In 2018, he was appointed Chairman of the Punjab State Warehousing Corporation with Cabinet Minister status, and in September 2021 he became a full Cabinet Minister under CM Charanjit Singh Channi.
He lost the Amritsar West (SC) seat in the 2022 election. On 4 June 2022, he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party along with several other former Congress ministers including Balbir Singh Sidhu, Gurpreet Singh Kangar, and Sundar Sham Arora, in a significant wave of Congress-to-BJP defections in Punjab. However, his tenure in the BJP was short. On 13 October 2023, he announced his “ghar wapsi” (homecoming), quitting the BJP and rejoining the Congress. Explaining his decision, he said he had made a mistake by leaving the Congress and wished to rectify it, adding that the BJP “seldom has any plan for Punjab and Amritsar” and “could not accommodate all sections of society.” He rejoined the Congress in New Delhi in the presence of AICC General Secretary K.C. Venugopal and Punjab Congress chief Raja Warring.
Dr. Raj Kumar Verka Religion and Community
What is Dr. Raj Kumar Verka Religion
Dr. Raj Kumar Verka belongs to the Valmiki community, a Scheduled Caste community associated with the broader Hindu fold in Punjab.
What is Dr. Raj Kumar Verka Caste or Community
He belongs to the Valmiki community, a Scheduled Caste group. The Amritsar West constituency he represented is reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates under Election Commission norms. He is widely described as one of the most prominent Dalit leaders of the Majha region.
Dr. Raj Kumar Verka Personal Life and Relationships
Is Dr. Raj Kumar Verka Married
Yes, Dr. Raj Kumar Verka is married.
Dr. Raj Kumar Verka Wife
His wife’s name is not publicly confirmed. She is in government service, as listed in his 2022 Election Commission affidavit, with salary as her declared income source. Her declared income was Rs 3 lakh for FY 2020 to 2021, with nil in prior years, suggesting a recent commencement or change of service.
Dr. Raj Kumar Verka Children
Details about children are not publicly disclosed in any official or credible source.
Dr. Raj Kumar Verka Height, Weight and Physical Appearance
His height, weight, eye colour, and hair colour are not publicly disclosed in any official list or verified media source.
Dr. Raj Kumar Verka Net Worth and Earnings
Dr. Raj Kumar Verka declared total assets of Rs 3,16,71,252 (approximately Rs 3.16 crore) in his 2022 Election Commission affidavit, with declared liabilities of Rs 1,30,43,000 (approximately Rs 1.30 crore). His declared immovable assets, valued at Rs 2.57 crore, consist of two residential properties located at 40-C Kennedy Avenue, Amritsar, acquired in May 2012 for a combined purchase price of Rs 78 lakh and currently declared at Rs 1.32 crore, along with another residential property valued at Rs 1.25 crore. His movable assets, amounting to Rs 59.71 lakh, include gold jewellery worth Rs 27.49 lakh (125 grams held in his name and 460 grams in his wife’s name), a Ford Endeavour valued at Rs 15 lakh, bank balances totalling Rs 7.71 lakh, personal loans extended amounting to Rs 6 lakh, and company shares worth Rs 1 lakh. His reported liabilities include a housing loan of Rs 58.45 lakh, a car loan of Rs 12.98 lakh, an MLA housing loan of Rs 29 lakh, and a personal loan of Rs 30 lakh.
| Source | Estimated Amount |
| Total declared assets (2022 EC affidavit) | Rs 3,16,71,252 |
| Immovable assets (2022) | Rs 2,57,00,000 |
| Movable assets (2022) | Rs 59,71,252 |
| Residential properties, Kennedy Avenue, Amritsar (2022) | Rs 1,32,00,000 |
| Other residential asset (2022) | Rs 1,25,00,000 |
| Gold jewellery, self and spouse (2022) | Rs 27,49,500 |
| Ford Endeavour car, self (2022) | Rs 15,00,000 |
| Bank deposits, self and spouse (2022) | Rs 7,71,752 |
| Declared self income (FY 2020 to 2021 ITR) | Rs 13,20,000 |
| Declared spouse income (FY 2020 to 2021 ITR) | Rs 3,00,000 |
| Declared liabilities (2022) | Rs 1,30,43,000 |
Dr. Raj Kumar Verka Social Media
| Platform | Handle | Followers | Notes |
| Twitter/X | Not publicly confirmed | Not publicly confirmed | No verified account independently confirmed |
| Not publicly confirmed | Not publicly confirmed | No verified account identified | |
| Not publicly confirmed | Not publicly confirmed | No verified page independently confirmed | |
| YouTube | Not publicly confirmed | Not publicly confirmed | No verified account identified |
Detailed, verified social media presence for Dr. Raj Kumar Verka is not publicly confirmed across major platforms in available records.
Dr. Raj Kumar Verka Controversies
Dr. Raj Kumar Verka Party Switches (2022 to 2023)
The most notable episode in Dr. Raj Kumar Verka’s recent political career is his back-and-forth between the Congress and the BJP. After losing the 2022 Assembly election, he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on 4 June 2022, alongside several other former Congress ministers. Just over a year later, on 13 October 2023, he announced his “ghar wapsi” and rejoined the Congress, publicly stating that joining the BJP had been a mistake and that the BJP lacked a plan for Punjab and Amritsar. The double party switch drew political commentary about the instability of Congress-to-BJP defections in Punjab, though no legal or criminal matter has ever been associated with him.
According to his 2022 Election Commission affidavit, he declared no pending or convicted criminal cases.
Lesser Known Facts About Dr. Raj Kumar Verka
- He is one of the most prominent Dalit leaders of Punjab’s Majha region and belongs to the Valmiki community, a Scheduled Caste group, having built a political career spanning more than two decades.
- He served two terms as Vice-Chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes with the rank of Minister of State, Government of India, a significant national-level constitutional appointment.
- He was awarded an honorary doctorate (Doctor Honoris Causa) by Desh Bhagat University for his contribution to Indian political and social work, which is the basis for the “Dr.” prefix in his name, despite his formal education being recorded as 12th Pass with one year of a BA.
- He joined the BJP on 4 June 2022 after losing his Assembly seat, alongside Balbir Singh Sidhu, Gurpreet Singh Kangar, and Sundar Sham Arora, in one of the largest single waves of Congress-to-BJP defections in Punjab.
- He returned to the Congress on 13 October 2023, terming it a “ghar wapsi,” and was among the first of the 2022 defectors to publicly express regret over having left the party.
- He held three distinct ministerial portfolios simultaneously under CM Channi: Medical Education and Research, Social Justice and Empowerment and Minorities, and New and Renewable Energy Sources.
- He was among the 42 Congress MLAs who collectively submitted their resignations to the Punjab Governor in 2016 in protest against the Supreme Court’s SYL canal ruling.
Dr. Raj Kumar Verka FAQ
Who is Dr. Raj Kumar Verka?
Dr. Raj Kumar Verka is an Indian politician and prominent Dalit Congress leader from Amritsar, Punjab. He is a three-time MLA, a former Punjab Cabinet Minister whose portfolios included Medical Education and Research, and a former Vice-Chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes.
How old is Dr. Raj Kumar Verka?
He was born on 20 March 1963, making him 63 years old as of 2026.
What is Dr. Raj Kumar Verka’s net worth?
His declared total assets per the 2022 Election Commission affidavit are Rs 3,16,71,252 (approximately Rs 3.16 crore), with declared liabilities of Rs 1.30 crore.
Is Dr. Raj Kumar Verka married?
Yes. His wife’s name is not publicly confirmed; she is in government service.
Who is Dr. Raj Kumar Verka’s father?
His father’s name is Jai Chand, as confirmed in his 2022 Election Commission affidavit.
What is Dr. Raj Kumar Verka known for?
He is known for serving as Punjab’s Minister of Medical Education and Research under CM Channi, for being a three-time MLA from Amritsar, for his role as Vice-Chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, and for his prominent standing as a Dalit leader of the Majha region.
What ministerial portfolios did Dr. Raj Kumar Verka hold?
Under CM Charanjit Singh Channi, he held the portfolios of Medical Education and Research, Social Justice and Empowerment and Minorities, and New and Renewable Energy Sources.
Which constituencies has Dr. Raj Kumar Verka represented?
He represented the Verka constituency in 2002 and the Amritsar West (SC) constituency in 2012 and 2017.
Why did Dr. Raj Kumar Verka leave and rejoin the Congress?
He joined the BJP on 4 June 2022 after losing his 2022 Assembly seat, then rejoined the Congress on 13 October 2023, calling it a “ghar wapsi” and stating that leaving the Congress had been a mistake and that the BJP lacked a plan for Punjab.
What is Dr. Raj Kumar Verka’s community?
He belongs to the Valmiki community, a Scheduled Caste group, and is one of the most prominent Dalit leaders of the Majha region of Punjab.
Sources
MyNeta, Punjab 2022 Affidavit, Raj Kumar Verka,
https://myneta.info/punjab2022/candidate.php?candidate_id=656
Our Neta, Raj Kumar Verka, INC MLA from Amritsar West,
https://ourneta.com/neta/raj-kumar-verka/
The Tribune, Repent quitting Congress, says Verka in Amritsar,
https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/repent-quitting-congress-says-verka-in-amritsar-553038
Outlook India, Punjab Senior BJP Leader Raj Kumar Verka Quits Party, Rejoins Congress,
https://www.outlookindia.com/national/punjab-senior-bjp-leader-raj-kumar-verka-quits-party-rejoins-congress-news-324344
National Herald, Raj Kumar Verka quits BJP to rejoin Congress,
https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/national/raj-kumar-verka-quits-bjp-to-rejoin-congress-balbir-sidhu-gurpreet-kangar-follow-suit