Political Journey

Timeline

1. 1989– 2019

   Before electoral politics

   A teacher and social worker in Betul

   For thirty years before his election, Durga Das Uikey worked as a high-school teacher. His parliamentary profile also records long-standing work with social and cultural organisations, among them the Gayatri Parivar, the M.P. Shikshak Sangh, the Dharma Jagran Vibhag and the Vanvasi Kalyan Parishad¹.

   Contemporary press profiles published after his 2024 appointment describe further organisational roles; because these are not part of the official record, they are not reproduced here.

2. 201923 May

   General election · 17th Lok Sabha

   Elected Member of Parliament for Betul

   Contesting as the Bharatiya Janata Party candidate in Betul, a constituency reserved for Scheduled Tribes, he won the 2019 general election. His term in the 17th Lok Sabha began on 23 May 2019, the day results were declared².

   Votes received8,11,248

   Runner-upRamu Tekam, Indian National Congress — 4,51,007

   Margin3,60,241 votes

   Result figures as compiled by IndiaVotes from Election Commission data³. Vote-share percentages differ between compilations depending on whether NOTA votes are counted, so they are not quoted here.

3. 2019– 2024

   Parliament House

   First term in the Lok Sabha

   Over the 17th Lok Sabha he recorded 96% attendance, took part in 20 debates — most of them Special Mentions and matters under Rule 377 on constituency concerns — and asked 57 questions addressed to 33 ministries⁴.

   Recurring subjects included railway connectivity for Betul, the protection of forests, relief for farmers, and the conservation of historic forts in the district. Explore the complete record.

4. 201913 Sept

   Committee

   Member, Standing Committee on Defence

   Digital Sansad records his membership of the Standing Committee on Defence from 13 September 2019. The Department-related Standing Committees examine the budgets, policies and legislation of the ministries they oversee¹.

5. Undated

   Committee

   Member, Consultative Committee, Ministry of Tribal Affairs

   He was also a Member of the Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Tribal Affairs — a forum in which Members of Parliament discuss the Ministry’s policies and programmes with its ministers. The record does not give a start date¹.

6. 20244 June

   General election · 18th Lok Sabha

   Re-elected from Betul

   In the 2024 general election he was returned from Betul for a second term, with a larger vote and margin than in 2019. Digital Sansad records his election to the 18th Lok Sabha in June 2024¹.

   Votes received8,48,236

   Runner-upRamu Tekam, Indian National Congress — 4,68,475

   Margin3,79,761 votes

   Figures as compiled by IndiaVotes from Election Commission data⁵.

7. 20249 June

   Rashtrapati Bhavan

   Sworn in as Union Minister of State

   

   He took the oath as a Minister of State in the Union Council of Ministers sworn in on 9 June 2024. Digital Sansad dates his tenure as Union Minister of State in the Ministry of Tribal Affairs from that day¹.

8. 202411 June

   Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi

   Assumes charge at the Ministry of Tribal Affairs

   According to the Press Information Bureau, he assumed charge as Union Minister of State in the Ministry of Tribal Affairs at Shastri Bhawan on 11 June 2024⁶.

   Both dates are correct and refer to different steps: 9 June is the swearing-in; 11 June is the formal assumption of charge at the Ministry.

9. 2024– present

   Current role

   Minister of State, Ministry of Tribal Affairs

   As Minister of State he answers parliamentary questions on the Ministry’s programmes and represents it at national events — from the National Conclave on Sickle Cell Disease in June 2024 to the National Conclave on Tribal Languages and Museums in Mysuru in August 2026⁷. He continues to represent Betul in the Lok Sabha.

   Tribal Affairs responsibilities