Interviews: Fresh faces of Lok Sabha

'WATER, multiplied by five
Akash Bisht Delhi

Jyoti Mirdha, 37, is a doctor by profession and a first-time Congress MP from Nagaur in Rajasthan. Sustainable water management, nation-building, women's empowerment, education and healthcare are her primary concerns. Politics runs in her blood and her grandfather, Late Nathuram Mirdha, was a Congress politician in Rajasthan. Over the years, she has volunteered to devote her time to healthcare as a public interest cause. More recently, she has developed interest in alternative medicine - she
has been researching and spreading the word. 

What is your agenda for a new/different India?

This country needs the 'system' to be 'efficient' but we have 'backlog of basics' to clear before we can start - education and means of sustenance. At 65 per cent literacy rate, we have to get educated and do it faster than ever (while literacy grew from 18 per cent at Independence to 65 per cent, population has grown 185 per cent!). Almost 75 per cent of the 350 million Indians living under poverty line reside in our villages, we have to specifically employ and uplift this section. An educated and well-fed Indian will be able to think about environmental conservation, law and order, gender equality, role of pluralist secularism and so forth - hence a different India. We have to walk before we can run!  

Five most important things that you want to do for your constituency?

'Water' multiplied by five! Access to safe and reliable drinking water is a dream in Nagaur, and my top most priority.

 What is your agenda for the farmers, dalits, women and children?

I will take a holistic view towards progress; resulting benefits should trickle down to the various sub-sections, including those you have mentioned. Education - with emphasis on educating the girl child. Better access to affordable healthcare, with especially positive implications for young children and women of childbearing age. Implementation of revised NREGA to improve employment prospects for more and more villagers. 

Will caste/religious politics ever give way to the politics of women's empowerment, poverty alleviation, health et al?

Yes. I believe the wheels of change are already churning and the recent election results bear testimony. There is a conscious effort on the part of the current Congress leadership to introduce a new breed of young and educated leaders with strong public backing. In other words, the profile of politicians who would rise above narrow agendas to achieve greater good through the democratic machinery.   

Do you think young voters are looking for a new kind of politics? If yes, why?

Yes, primarily because young voters are educated, aware and hence more conscious of what is truly important.    

What goals have you set for yourself for the next five years?

As I have said during my election campaign, in the next election I will be asking for votes on my behalf unlike this time when my grandfather's goodwill was a major contributor towards my success. The goal is to perform my 'Karma' to the best of my ability and means.   AB

'Primary reason for my win is NREGS'

Manicka Tagore, 34, pulled off one of the biggest surprises in the general elections. Despite odds, Manicka turned a giant killer and defeated MDMK heavyweight and LTTE loyalist, Vaiko. Congress won a Lok Sabha seat from Virudhanagar, Tamil Nadu, after three decades. S Jayalakshmi was the last Congress candidate to win from Sivakasi Lok Sabha seat, which became Virudhanagar post-delimitation.  

What is your agenda for a new India?

I want to reduce the massive rural-urban divide that prevails in the country.  The India of cities is very different from the Bharat of villages. We need good hospitals, roads, electricity, water, infrastructure to improve the condition of the people that live in rural India. I also want to create equal opportunities for the young so that they can prosper. If they prosper, our country will prosper. 

Why did Vaiko lose despite being an LTTE supporter?

People are not interested in LTTE, they want to see good roads, schools, hospitals, continuous power supply. Vaiko and his party has done nothing for the constituency when they were in power. My agenda is development while theirs was LTTE - and people went for development. That is the reason I won.  

What do you credit your victory to?

The primary reason for my win is NREGS as it provided employment to the people in my constituency. The scheme has put brakes on the migration pattern and now people can get money if they are willing to work.  

Your views on Rahul Gandhi's politics.

Under Rahul Gandhi politics has transformed from a bad game to a gentleman's game. His model is of development and not divisive politics, and that has succeeded as the people of this country have rejected religious or caste-based politics. His idea of democratising the party has done wonders for the party and this will strengthen us.      AB 

'RSS and BJP created the Kandhamal monster'

Pradeep Majhi, 32, won the Lok Sabha election from Nawarangpur district in the poverty-stricken Kalahandi-Bolangir-Koraput (KBK) region of Orissa. The area is dominated by tribals and Majhi himself belongs to one such tribe. He was the first Oriya to be appointed as the secretary of the Indian Youth Congress. Majhi's father, Bhagaban Majhi, is a former MP. The Majhi family started their political career with Janata Dal and later switched to BJD. However, Pradeep Majhi joined the Congress. There has been no looking back.  

What is your agenda for the next five years?

My first priority is to boost the agriculture sector as it will lead to development of the people in my district. Mine is one of the poorest regions in India and if we can provide water to the tribal farmers in my area then many stomachs would be filled. The day this happens I will think that I have delivered on what I had promised.  

What are your views on tribal resistance against rapid industrialisation?

The way it is done is totally unacceptable. I oppose such development and believe that it shouldn't come at the cost of the lives and livelihoods of thousands of people who have lived here for centuries. Development should have a human face. It may be good for the economy but it's fatal for the poor of the region.  

Why did Kandhamal burn?

RSS and BJP created this monster and it is shameful for Orissa. It shouldn't have happened, but BJP and RSS are to be blamed and so should be the state government which didn't take strong measures to contain the violence. BJD didn't do enough, they didn't even try to stop Hindutva processions and hawans in Christian-dominated areas.   

How soon can Orissa do a UP for the Congress?

It will take a lot of time as we are demoralised by the results in the state. Soniaji and Rahulji should pay the same kind of attention to Orissa as in UP; then there is a possibility for revival. 

Your views on corruption in Orissa, including in NREGS?

Everyone knows that there is corruption but no action is taken by the state government, especially in NREGS. The Centre should have its own agency to monitor the scheme. Even teams that come for survey are happy with the ACs, cars, bungalows and even money. No team can do the required monitoring in two or three days. Rahul Gandhi is trying to rope in all sections of the society and a beginning has been made. We are hopeful that numbers will increase with each passing day.        AB

'What Varun said was RIGHT'

Devji Patel, 32, sprung an unusual surprise when he defeated senior Congress leader Buta Singh, who fought as a rebel 'independent' from Jalore after he was denied ticket. An industrialist from Ahmedabad, BJP's Patel was dismissed as a political greenhorn and no competition to Buta Singh who has won four Lok Sabha elections from Jalore. However, Devji managed to turn the tide and won by a margin of 49,805 votes. 

Contrary to the BJP's stand, do the country and BJP need a young leadership?

I agree that the country needs a young leadership, but we also need seniors to have a perfect blend of experience and youth. If youth are handed power they won't be able to run the country effectively and need senior leaders' guidance.  

Can BJP's poor performance be blamed on Varun Gandhi and Narendra Modi?

People have spoken and still say a lot of things about Varun and Modi, but I don't believe that our bad performance has anything to do with Varun's speech or Modi being called a PM candidate. I blame mismanagement for BJP's poor performance.  

Do you agree with what Varun said in his speech?

To an extent what he said was right, but it was also overblown by the media. Ours is a democracy and such things happen. Except this I don't wish to comment on the subject.  

What is your agenda for the next five years?

Water is a scarcity in my constituency, so I will try my best to ensure that water reaches every house. Health, roads and electricity are my other concerns that need attention. When the state had a BJP government, we got electricity to many new villages, but now there is hardly any power supply.

With adequate planning, I would make sure that Narmada water reaches every house and field. This would turn my area into swarg (heaven).  

Is Shivraj Singh Chauhan's development plank in MP a role model or is it back to the Hindutva agenda?

It is for the party's leadership to decide. We need leaders like Shivraj Singh but we also need the Hindutva agenda as well. It was Hindutva that brought us to power in 1999 and will again go to it in the next Lok Sabha elections. Agli baazi hamare haath main hai. We will certainly incorporate some changes in the next elections and will let you know about our future plans.       AB 

'Empower panchayats... eradicate corruption'

Ashok Tanwar, 33, is the youngest president of Indian Youth Congress. He was a student of history JNU and started his political career with NSUI. He took over as NSUI secretary in 1999 and became its president in 2003. He joined the NSUI when the party hardly had any presence in the Left-dominated campus of JNU. He fought various elections in JNU but lost. After persuasion by Rahul Gandhi, Tanwar decided to contest Lok Sabha elections from Sirsa and won by a margin of nearly 35,500 votes. Tanwar spoke to Hardnews.  

What is your agenda for the new and different India?

In a larger context, it would be nation-building that includes poverty alleviation, empowerment of the poor, farmers, women, youth and working class in the unorganised sector. As far as my constituency is concerned, I would like to improve the quality of education, boost rural infrastructure and create employment with the help of government and NGOs. We need to empower our panchayats and eradicate corruption. 

Will caste and religious politics ever give way to the politics of development?

This election clearly shows that people are ready to give up divisive policies of certain political parties. The youth of this country hopes for development and optimism and we have reposed faith in the youth. People have embraced Rahul Gandhi while they have rejected people like LK Advani who have an old mindset.  

Five things you want to improve in the country.

Education, health, employment, quality of life and improve the conditions of farmers. 

Do you believe in Manmohan Singh's neo-liberalism or old-styled Nehruism?

We need to have a balanced approach. We want a blend of both and that is what the government has been pursuing in
the last five years. Even Dr Manmohan Singh has said that we need reforms with human face.  

Tell us about Rahul Gandhi's idea of democratisation of the Congress, its implementation and results?

Rahul is giving chance to the people with rural background. There are elections within the Youth Congress and NSUI and this has encouraged people from the weaker sections like Dalits, Muslims, among others, to join the party. In Punjab, we won 11 seats because of Youth Congress. In Punjab we have elected more than 3,000 people for booth management. It is their responsibility to make sure that they mobilise people and address their concerns. After polling we analyse and see which booth did well and give greater responsibility to people manning those booths. As a result many people from different walks of life like software engineers, lawyers, journalists have joined hands with us. Rahul Gandhi is trying to rope in all sections of the society and a beginning has been made. We are hopeful that numbers will increase with each passing day.             AB
 

No clue about Batla House

Muhammed Hamdulla Sayeed, 26, a law graduate from Pune, is the youngest MP in the newly elected Lok Sabha. He retained the Lakshadweep seat for Congress - the constituency his father, late PM Sayeed, nurtured for eight terms and lost to NCP in 2004. It's a coincidence that both father and son have won their debut Lok Sabha elections at the age of 26. A good orator, Hamdulla comes across as a confident young MP who is determined to question the authorities if they don't deliver.  

What would be your agenda for the new India?

Education for every citizen. If due importance is given to education then most of our problems will come to an end. Once you are educated then chances of yours being exploited lessen. If we ensure that no child in this country remains illiterate - we would be on the path of being a developed nation.  

Your views on Batla House encounter. Are Indian Muslims feeling alienated?

I have not gone through the facts of the Batla House case so I cannot comment. On alienation, the last UPA government introduced several schemes for the upliftment of the minorities, hence there is no question of alienation. Even Dr Manmohan Singh is from the minority.  

Will caste/religion politics give way to politics of development?

We will bring in change and this process started five years ago. NREGS is one such scheme that is one of the factors for our decisive victory. We implemented these schemes when we had multiple allies, and now with 206 seats we can't be arm twisted. Development programmes and performance win you elections, not hate and divisive politics.  

Your views on Rahul Gandhi?

Rahul Gandhi is galvanising the party and is an unending source of inspiration. He is one of the reasons of the Congress' massive victory. We will let you know about our future plans.