Rao Inderjit Singh is BJP's face in south Haryana
New Delhi: Rao Inderjit Singh, a prominent leader from predominant Ahir community of southern Haryana, is again a part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cabinet.
Singh has dominated south Haryana politics for decades and is now the BJP's face from that region.
Having been elected as Lok Sabha MP for the fifth term now, of which second term as a BJP member, Singh over the years has enjoyed unflinching support of the Yadav community, also known as Ahirs.
Retaining his Gurugram seat, the 69-year-old leader this time defeated Congress veteran Ajay Singh Yadav by 3,86,256 votes. Yadav is a former six-time MLA from Rewari.
He has cultivated his image as a 'no-nonsense' person and during his stint as BJP MP, the Gurugram parliamentary constituency saw many developmental projects coming to the region.
These include AIIMS at Rewari, improvement in road infrastructure and setting up of Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority, among other projects.
Months before the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Singh, who was then sitting Congress MP from Gurugram, had alleged bias in development works in south Haryana, and snapped his nearly four-decade association with the grand old party to join the BJP.
The veteran leader, a descendant of legendary Ahir leader Rao Tula Ram, during his stint as Union minister in the Modi government, served in various capacities, including as Union Minister of State for Planning and Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers.
Under the UPA dispensation, he had served as Minister of State for External Affairs and Defence Production.
As a parliamentarian, Singh was the chairman of Standing Committee on Information Technology.
The prestigious Lawrence School, Sanawar educated and a law graduate who is widely travelled, has also been a four-term MLA from Haryana between 1977 and 2004.
Singh believes the mantra of his and his party's success is good governance, development and trust.
"The expectations of people are high and we will work hard to live up to these," Singh maintains.
