The Aryavarth Express
Agency (Chandigarh): Gurgaon MP Rao Inderjit Singh has long been a stalwart in southern Haryana and a representative of the region’s predominant Ahir community. Having been elected as a Lok Sabha MP for the sixth term now — his third as a BJP member — Singh has enjoyed unwavering support from the Ahirs over the years.
Singh retained the Gurgaon seat in the recently concluded general election, defeating his nearest rival, Raj Babbar of the Congress, by a margin of more than 75,000 votes. Known for his straightforward approach, Singh is seen as a no-nonsense leader.
A former Congress member, Singh has also served as an MP twice from Mahendragarh, now known as the Bhiwani-Mahendragarh constituency since 2009. During his various terms, Gurgaon has seen numerous developmental projects, including an AIIMS in Rewari, road infrastructure improvements, and the establishment of the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority.
Before joining the BJP ahead of the 2014 general election, Singh was a Congress member and a sitting MP from Gurgaon. Under the Congress regime, Singh accused the UPA-led Centre of bias against south Haryana in development work allocations. This led to him ending his nearly four-decade association with the Congress to join the BJP.
A descendant of Ahir leader Rao Tula Ram, Singh served as Union Minister of State for Statistics & Programme Implementation, Planning, and Chemicals and Fertilisers under the previous Modi governments. Under the UPA, he served as Minister of State for External Affairs and Defence Production.
Educated at Lawrence School, Sanawar, Singh became a law graduate and a four-term MLA from Haryana between 1977 and 2004. During the recent election campaign in Gurgaon, Singh emphasized his local roots and commitment to addressing constituents’ needs.
“Mein Gurgaon vasiyo ka parkha hua hoon (I am your tried and tested leader). I have always raised the voice of my constituents. The strength which you give me I use for raising your voice,” said Singh, the son of former Haryana chief minister late Rao Birender Singh, in one of his speeches.
