NEW DELHI: The journey of BJP councillor Bipin Bihari Singh, who was elected unopposed as the mayor of East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) in the elections held last week, from the small, nondescript town of Garwah in Jharkhand is a story of grit and determination.
Singh, who had left his home in search of work two decades ago - “even if it had meant working as a daily wage labour” - says, “It began in 1991. I was 18. I had very little interest in studies. I wanted to do the right work and earn money, save enough to be able to go back to my village and prove myself as a successful person.”
Singh, the youngest of three brothers, faced consistent pressure from his family to pursue his studies seriously, although he had expressed his disinterest. “My parents’ concern for me was genuine but when they kept pointing out the issue to everyone, I could not take it.”The 18-year-old’s dream took wings after Singh, with a friend from the village, who worked as a supervisor at L&T Company, moved to Anpara in Uttar Pradesh. “All I had was a pair of clothes and `50,” Singh recalls.
Barely making ends meet, Singh slept on the floor on an empty stomach in a labour colony for some time before getting himself registered with the government. The registration aided him in getting the prescribed minimum wage of `25 per day as a store manager.
However, Singh did not stop there. He kept his dream alive and started saving money - for now, he wanted to start a company. “I came to Anpara were L&T was building a powerhouse and they needed labourers so I was given the job to pick up metal rods. Then, being in close contact with construction workers and engineers, I started taking up contracts.”
Singh came to the national capital in 2000 with an L&T team for the Pragati Power Project. “In Delhi, my work was recognised and I set up my company. I started getting big building contracts in Delhi, Rohtak and other NCR areas soon after,” Singh recalls.
“After I felt the long-awaited dream had been accomplished, I started attending public meetings, protests, rallies and volunteering for odd jobs soon I was being recognised by my face in political circles. Finally in three years ago I was taken in as a member of Poorvanchal Morcha of BJP, promoted to being the president and so on.”