NCR has never had so much representation at the Centre as under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s regime with MPs from four prominent suburbs — Faridabad, Gurgaon, Ghaziabad and Gautam Budh Nagar — of the national Capital being inducted as ministers in the Union government.
With the induction of Dr Mahesh Sharma as Minister of State (Independent charge) the number of ministers from NCR has gone up to four. The others who had made it in the first outing were Krishan Pal Gurjar from Faridabad, Rao Indrejit Singh from Gurgaon and General VK Singh from Ghaziabad parliamentary constituencies. The induction of two MPs from Haryana-NCR were likely to be made eyeing Haryana assembly elections and now, a new entrant from neighbouring Gautam Budh Nagar has been inducted in view of the assemble elections scheduled in early 2017.
Although VK Singh, MP from Ghaziabad, was made a minister to ensure maximum representation of the Rajput community, Sharma has been included with the motive to woo Brahmin voters who are in majority in the state. Sharma, however, hails from Rajasthan but he enjoys good support of his community in Uttar Pradesh especially in western part due to his base in Noida.