“Madam people in Malviya Nagar are saying Tera kya hoga Kaliya,” says a very committed supporter of Archana Sharma as we set out to find out how a lone woman candidate from both the Congress and BJP in Jaipur city is holding fort in her constituency Malviya Nagar where she is pitted against Kalicharan Saraf, the sitting MLA and health minister in the Vasundhara Raje government. Kali as he known in political circles hasn’t lost this seat since it was carved out after delimitation. Kavita Pant caught up with Archana Sharma who’s contesting on a Congress ticket. In a free-wheeling interview she talks about being the only woman candidate from a city seat and how people are fed up of the BJP candidate. Excerpts:
So how do you manage both home and politics?
My day starts at 5 am daily and ends way past midnight. I do puja for an hour and then start with door-to-door campaigning during the morning hours. At present there is no one in my house as apart from me, my husband and son also move out with me for campaigning while my daughter is a resident at SMS Hospital.
Are you satisfied with the response you are getting as Congress candidate?
These days there is no difference between woman or male candidate in politics. The advantage that I am getting is that there is a lot of opposition for Kalicharan Saraf. They once used to think Saraf is a good man and helped his workers but I think after receiving a huge mandate in 2013 he and his workers have started fleecing the common man. Many people who are sitting here are unhappy because of his corrupt practices.
What is one thing that is working for you?
The advantage I think I have is that in past five years I did a lot of work at ground level. Though I lost the elections in 2013, but people now know me personally as a candidate who is bold and like my image as a leader.
Why did you lose the last elections?
Last time I lost as there was anti incumbency factor and moreover as this area has slums, many people got swayed away by the false promise of Rs 15 lakh made by the BJP.
What is your focus now. What are you promising a voter?
My prime focus is to make the area crime-free and free of corruption. Development always happens in an area as we all fight elections for developing an area. Women are more concerned about the increasing crime graph here and I promise to make the area crime-free.
