Gurjar scores double hat-trick as LS MP & Union minister

Bijendra Ahlawat

Faridabad, June 9

Krishan Pal Gurjar, who made a hat-trick by getting elected as Lok Sabha MP from Faridabad in the recently concluded elections, came out successful in making it to the Modi Council of Ministers for the third time in a row.

He is perhaps the first MP from Faridabad to have this achievement. Gurjar, who had been a Minister of State for Heavy Industries in the Modi-2 ministry (2019-24) has been inducted on a similar rank this time.

Stints at Centre

• Elected as MP for the first time in 2014, he was inducted as MoS for Road Transport and Highways and Shipping. However, his ministry was later changed to Social Justice and Empowerment
• He continued with the position of MoS for Social Justice and Empowerment from 2019 to 2021. Shifted as Minister of State for Heavy Industries in 2021, he continued with the portfolio till the election held last month

Describing his induction in the Council of Ministers as an expected development, Gopal Sharma, a former district president of the BJP, said that this would help Faridabad constituency attain new heights with regard to development.

He said the induction of three MPs from Haryana in the Modi ministry was a matter of great happiness as it would help the state get a privileged status, perhaps for the first time.

67-year-old Gurjar has been the Minister of State for Power and Heavy Industries in the outgoing Union ministry. Elected as MP for the first time in 2014, he had been inducted as Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways and Shipping. However, his ministry was later changed to Social Justice and Empowerment.

He continued with the position of Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment in the period between 2019 and 2021. Shifted as Minister of State for Heavy Industries in 2021, he continued with the portfolio till the election held last month.

While Gurjar had won by a margin of 4.66 lakh votes in 2014 against the Congress candidate, this margin went up to 6.36 lakh votes in 2019. However, the margin got reduced to just 1.72 lakh in the election held this time.

His induction is considered as a boon in view of the upcoming state Assembly poll, according to political analysts.

A graduate from MD University, he started his political career by getting elected as Municipal Councillor in 1994. He became an MLA for the first time in 1996 and served as Transport Minister in the Bansi Lal government in Haryana from 1996 to 1999. He later served as BJP state president of Haryana.