Win has nothing to do with MNS: Milind Deora

Buoyed by a thumping one-lakh-vote victory from Mumbai South, MP Milind Deora’s name is now floating around as one of the probables for a Union cabinet berth. But minister or not, Deora says his priority will be to work for the people sincerely and with dignity. DNA caught up with the 33-yr-old MP

Do you think MNS’s emergence helped you win this time?
I attribute my success to the well-informed and smart voters, who did not pay heed to the cynical politics-bashing resorted to by some candidates. Some candidates fielded against me believed that they could spend money and win, while others thought it is easy to fool the people.

But the voters have once again proved that they are smart enough when it comes to choosing the right candidate. I don’t think MNS (Maharashtra Navnirman Sena) helped me in any way, as there were already many other spoilers in the garb of smaller parties. People were determined not to waste their votes on these candidates. My constituency witnessed a ‘regressive agenda’ between the Shiv Sena and MNS. But voters chose not to fall prey to the efforts of dividing people in the name of language and area.

What are your priorities after winning the second time?
I don’t have a priority list but the simple agenda is to work for the people of Mumbai with sincerity and dignity for the next five years. I don’t want to promise anything, but can assure everyone that I will work hard to ensure that the voice of the city is heard in Delhi.

Your name is doing the rounds for a ministerial berth...
What I got at the age of 27 five years ago was an huge opportunity in itself. I now know what it means to be an MP and have learnt a lot in the last five years. I don’t aspire for more, but yes, as a sincere party worker I am ready to shoulder any responsibility given to me.

What has changed in the last five years?
I now have five years’ experience as an MP. Apart from that, though my ideologies are still the same, I have become more pragmatic. I have learnt to differentiate between those I can rely on and the opportunists who use you for their vested interests. Few NGOs, with whom I had worked for the last five years, suddenly became politically motivated after the elections were announced. This was harmful to the public interest.