Elections 2019: What really wins you an election? Noida may have the answer

Cash, charity or caste may not help unless your constituents see you and your tangible development work in the constituency

Caste? Cash? Charity?

Take Gautam Buddh Nagar (or Noida) Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh, which goes to the polls on 11 April. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s sitting candidate is Dr Mahesh Sharma, an amiable doctor who owns a huge hospital in the heart of NOIDA and is currently Union Minister of Culture.

In 2014, there was universal endorsement of Sharma. ‘He really takes care of us’ said a constituent fervently. ‘whenever there is any medical crisis, we know we can fall back on Kailash Hospital (Dr Sharma’s hospital) for treatment.’ Sharma would offer treatment at highly subsidised rates