Emotional each time her father Pramod Mahajan's name comes up, Poonam Mahajan Rao gathers her thoughts and talks about politics, brother Rahul, her uncle and Pramod's killer in an interview with VARUN SINGH and RANJITT KHOMNE
Emotional each time her father Pramod Mahajan's name comes up, Poonam Mahajan Rao gathers her thoughts and talks about politics, brother Rahul, her uncle and Pramod's killer in an interview with VARUN SINGH and RANJITT KHOMNE
Poonam Mahajan was thought to be the BJP's answer to the Milind Deoras and Priya Dutts of the Congress.
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She is young, dynamic and has cut her teeth into politics and social work at home much like the other two.
However, the 29-year-old general secretary of the party's youth wing, was denied a ticket for the Lok Sabha elections in favour of former MP Kirit Somaiya from the Mumbai North East area.
Married to businessman Anand Rao with a four-year-old son Aadya, she divides her time between her family and political life.
The media has run riot claiming you are joining the MNS?
Rubbish! I am a Mahajan. How can I leave the BJP? I greet Raj on every Gudi Padwa like I greet many others.
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Sulking that the party has not nominated you?
I am not even disappointed! Of course, I expectedu00a0 a nomination, but the party thought I should continue with my youth wing activities for now, which is fine with me.
So what next?
I will campaign for Kirit Somaiya, our candidate from North East, just as I would campaign for the 47 other Shiv Sena-BJP candidates in the rest of the state. I am sure we will pull off maximum seats.
And you will form the next government in Delhi?
Certainly. And Shri L K Advani will be our prime minister.
Can Narendra Modi also be the PM?
He is a great leader. He has brought so much development to Gujarat that Maharashtra has been left far behind. Modiji is also PM material.
You wanted a nomination from the North East constituency.
Yes, I was born and brought up in that area. My father fought three elections from there.
How do you react to Varun Gandhi's reported comments on Muslims?
Varun is a promising youth leader, but I don't want to come between him and the Election Commission. Let his comments be verified first.
But Hindutva is the soul of your party.
Yes, that's the party ideology.
So it's not about the Ram Mandir?
We don't shy away from the Ram Mandir issue, but it will happen when we form the government on our own.
Your answers are very diplomatic, like a true politician.
Well, my father insisted I join him for all his rallies in the state and I enjoyed it thoroughly. But I never looked at politics as an option. I am a pilot like my brother Rahul.
Did Pramod Mahajan ever look upon you as his successor?
Both Rahul and I had the freedom to do what we liked. But dad said, if you want to get into politics, start from scratch. Go back to the roots.
So?
So I got working for the tribal school my mother had set up in Osmanabad over 15 years ago. We added business administration courses to the vocational courses in the Venkatesh Mahajan college. We empowered women in that area.
Is Rahul keen on politics?
As of now, I don't think so. He wants me to focus more on politics and work for the party.
How do you react to the tragedies he went through after your father's death?
He has suffered a lot, but I think he has got on with life.
How did you react to his marriage and the divorce with Shweta?
I knew Shweta for over 10 years before they got married. I called her didi and still do. Even now, we text each other occasionally during festivals. She has excellent relations with my mother and Rahul even after their separation. But the marriage and the divorce is between them. Who am I to pass a jugement? I respect Shweta as a woman.
Have you and your mother finally overcome the loss of your father?
We can never do that. It was the biggest setback of my life. I can never erase the 12 days that he lay in the hospital battling for life. My mother, though shattered, took it bravely. She told both of us doing something worthwhile for the people would be a true tribute to him. And yes, we got tremendous support from my uncle Gopinath Munde. (Munde is married to Pramod's sister Pradnya].
Do you now have normal relations with your cousins [children of Pravin]?
I don't want to talk about that criminal [Pravin Mahajan], who killed my father. But yes, that family too has suffered as victims of the tragedy. A certain uneasiness, a discomfort, has crept in.
What qualities of your father would you desire?
I want my father back. I know it's irrational to say this, but I don't really want what all I have today. If I could, I would really want him back.
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