Who is Vijay Sampla, the MoS for Social Justice and Empowerment?

New Delhi, Nov 10: Earlier a plumber by profession, Vijay Sampla was a

MP from Hoshiarpur Lok Sabha constituency.The 53-year old's dramatic rise from a plumber in the Gulf to the

ministry is the Rags to Riches story in real life.

A leader from Punjab, has also worked as a farm hand and a labourer. He is now the Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment. After being sworn in as the minister, he said," I worked as a labourer. I never dreamed or even hoped to be a minister, but look where life has brought me. When I look at the past 30 years of my life...I have worked in the fields. I have worked as a labourer. I was plumber in the Gulf, a technician, electrician.."

Not believing his fate, he said,"If a tea-seller's son can become prime minister, why can't a plumber become a minister?" Sampla said that he first thought that the call from the Prime Minister's office was a hoax, until he received a call from the Prime Minister himself. However, experts believe that the selection was aimed at 2017 assembly polls in Punjab where the party hopes to get good returns from the Dalits, who comprise a third of the stat'es electorate.

The minister has studied till Class 10 and had joined the party in 1998. It is believed that the RSS had a very important role to play in his entrance into national politics. He had started his career as the Sarpanch or head of the village. He has held several key posts in the BJP's Punjab unit.

OneIndia News