<b>Aditi Phadnis:</b> The rise and rise of Vijay Sampla

Sampla's popularity comes from being a local boy who made good despite disadvantages

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi took oath in 2014, the biggest challenge before him was how to balance his council of ministers in terms of wisdom and government experience. Of the first there was no dearth. But there was a serious shortage of the second — because so many of his colleagues were not just first-time ministers but in some cases, even first-time members of Parliament!

One such was Vijay Sampla, who became minister of state for social empowerment. He contested the Lok Sabha election for the first time from Hoshiarpur reserved constituency in Punjab, won and almost immediately thereafter,