Priya Dutt on her alleged 'hibernation', short-lived retirement and solid comeback as candidate for Mumbai North-Central
Priya Dutt is a two-time MP from the North Central Lok Sabha constituency
Former Congress MP Priya Dutt was written off by many following her defeat in the 2014 elections from Mumbai North-Central constituency and her subsequent hibernation. After she announced her retirement from electoral politics, other contenders had even tried to project themselves as Dutt's replacement from the segment that she and her father, the late Sunil Dutt, had represented for the Congress for 25 years.
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The situation has, however, turned quickly over the last month and she is back with a bang, thanks to her supporters and party bosses, who thought she alone could fit the bill. mid-day spoke to the leader about her return, politics, hopes, and dilemmas.
Planning her campaign from an office which runs the non-profit Nargis Dutt Foundation, Dutt told mid-day that she wasn't actually a "big political animal" who knew the political plots. She said she didn't possess a nuisance value that could harm her contemporary rank in the Congress, or for that matter, the leaders in other parties, while also sharing her mother-politician dilemma. With a commitment to the Congress, Dutt said that her work must have convinced the leadership to place her in the race for the much-coveted seat currently represented by BJP's first-time MP Poonam Mahajan.
Excerpts from our conversation with Dutt
Hibernation, retirement and comeback
I was blank after losing the 2014 elections. I wanted to take my life forward though. And then my family came into the picture. I realised how time had flown when I started spending time with my two sons (13 and 11 year olds) who were born during my previous Lok Sabha tenures. As an MP, I couldn't give the kids much time, and then I was suddenly around them. The long break allowed me to focus on them because I was free from everything. I looked after their schooling. We holidayed and travelled together. I started enjoying it and felt that the kids would soon be on their own. My plan to retire from electoral politics was for personal reasons. I knew in advance the party's plan of relieving me of the national secretary's post because I had requested for discontinuation. There was nothing to be upset about. And then, all of a sudden, this responsibility was given to me yet again (Her candidature became imminent when she welcomed party president Rahul Gandhi in Mumbai on March 1. There so much pressure from my supporters and the party leaders. I was quite adamant but since it was a matter of contesting against the communal forces, I agreed. I'm already done with the first round of campaign (Priya was one of the two Mumbai candidates declared in the first week of March) for the April 29 polling.
Priya Dutt and her father late Sunil Dutt have represented the Congress from Mumbai North-Central for a total of 25 years
Allegation that she wasn't active
It's not true. I attended party events for three years (after 2014). I'm not a someone who does politics all the time. I don't trouble party colleagues and opponents just for the sake of politics. I'm more into socio-medical work. I kept myself busy with Nargis Dutt Foundation which connects me with the people in Mumbai and beyond. We work in cancer treatment, general healthcare and education for underprivileged without seeking publicity or votes. Our mobile clinics are very popular. I'm passionate about extending the foundation's outreach to the needy, even in places like Palghar-Thane and other states where I don't have political stakes. People still come to me because I haven't lost touch with them.
Mother-politician dilemma
I know my life is about to change again. I thought If I had given some time to my own children, why not give some more time to other children as well? The decision to contest was taken after giving it deep thought. I would be doing it for ensuring a good future of all children who will change India from what it is today. By the grace of my supporters and party workers, I have started reaching out to 16 lakh plus voters that include a cross section of society.
Hopes
This election will be different from the previous one. The Congress's traditional voters that had diverted to some extent to other parties then, would now return to us, because more people are aware that the fight is between the Congress and BJP. Other parties that want to split secular votes would have their credibility hit because it's an open secret that they would directly benefit the BJP. I'm sad that these parties (SP, BSP, AIMIM and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi) have no concern for the country.
Her poll plank
The BJP hasn't delivered on the national as well as local level. It's okay if one cannot fulfill promises but spreading blatant lies about everything has been BJP's primary job all these years. I will tell my voters about the jumlas and BJP's divisive policies. The work that started five years ago is still incomplete in the North-Central constituency. Bandra is where Mumbai's civil society is very active, but it wasn't given a hearing by the CM. Citizen groups had convinced previous governments to build an underground metro, but the proposal was scrapped without giving it any hearing. Rehabilitation of slums is a major issue and it can be solved only by adopting a 'human face' approach. The current government is bulldozing everything that comes in its way. Congress also built big-ticket projects but considered all human angles that the stakeholders, especially the project-affected people and citizen groups put forth. I will also raise the demand for uniform electricity tariff and property tax in the city and suburbs.
2005, 2009
Years Dutt won a Lok Sabha seat from Mumbai North Central
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