Amruta Fadnavis: Sena is already with BJP, just two-three people are left behind

Amruta Fadnavis wife of Maharashtrarsquos Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis chooses her words carefully aware that anything she says will make headlines A banker a mother a political spouse a trained singer and a statelevel tennis player shersquos used to breaking stereotypes she has adopted villages in Nagpur district was a showstopper at New York Fashion Week to spread the message of girlsrsquo education and walked the ramp for NIFT to promote Maharashtrarsquos textile craftsAnd she says she dislikes inhibitions ndash offering a contrast to her husbandrsquos more studied public image In a freewheeling interview to middaycom Amruta Fadnavis offers a glimpse into what makes her tickEdited excerptsON BEING A POLITICAL SPOUSEWas it challenging for you to find your footing and voice because your husband is a powerful political personalityNot just me itrsquos natural for any lady who has a powerful husband to exist as his shadow She is respected tremendously but isnrsquot recognised as an individual and that is obvious because you have a stronger person at home So that doesnt really deter me or affect me The only thing to remember is that I continue to be the individual I always was Some recognise it a few dont And that doesnt bother me Im comfortable in my own skin and happy if I can even inspire even a few people to help the ladies in their own homes find their groundAs an independent working woman and professional singer what motivates youI believe we have just one life and we need to achieve all that we can in this one journey The inspiration for a girl starts from her own mother When I was a child I looked up to my mother She is a doctor and has been taking care of the family too she is my inspiration And later Devendra ji has been my biggest motivation I am thoroughly inspired by the kind of social work hes doing through politics Hes using it as a tool for development There are people who cast aspersions on us but my mother and husband have been my support systemRead AlsoHar Ghar Tiranga PM Modirsquos campaign creates employment opportunities for youth say Mumbai flag manufacturersDoes your husband encourage you to take a more active role in politicsMy husband works roundtheclock As we have a family there are other responsibilities I have a family to look after along with other professional commitments Along with my job as vicepresident at Axis Bank I ensure I donrsquot neglect my passion for music I have other social activities also that need my attention And I have a young daughter to take care of So I think one person supporting the other from behind the curtains is important and I am happy in my roleI am focused on my career and home And what is politics Isnt it a tool for social change In a way Im trying to bring about social change through participating in village development and looking after street children and the less fortunate This is a part of politics which is social work which Im taking care of I think Im using political power and making a difference in the lives of the needy In a way I am into politics It doesnt matter to me whether Im noticed by the media or not What holds importance is whether I can make a positive difference or notON STATE POLITICS AND THE SENA SPLITDevendra Fadnavis has returned to power in Maharashtra as the deputy CM Your commentsWe all know Devendra ji was backstabbed big time two years ago when it was already predecided that he would be sidelined but he didnrsquot see that coming as hes a softhearted person and believes in humanity From the day this was done to him it was unacceptable but from the very next day he stood up and started his work as an opposition leader That is what gained additional respect for him because he did not brood over it even for a day and he was always ready to meet people to find the points required for an opposition leader Thats what he did he performed his dutyThere were so many projects in Mumbai that were stalled by the earlier government Now those should be restarted And thats what Devendra jirsquos government is doing Im happy about it The Mumbai Metropolitan Region MMR with 25 million people is the largest city after Tokyo And I think lots of infrastructure is needed here We need sustainable development But in terms of infrastructure all the projects which are going on including the Mumbai Metro the transharbour link and the coastal road project all of them should be started again at a different speed altogether Thats what will make a difference in the lives of MumbaikarsAnd also sustainable development is what they have to think of If we think of Mumbai rivers they are in bad shape We have to rejuvenate the Dahisar Poisar Mithi rivers We have to see to it that mangroves are sustained But at the same time we have to see the convenience of Mumbairsquos citizens and for that we need stateoftheart infrastructure the speed of which needs to be increased so that we have comfort in our livesRead AlsoMaharashtra politics Time changes for everyone Uddhav Thackeray warns BJPDo you believe the Maha Vikas Aghadi MVA is responsible for its own downfall in MaharashtraThats what Devendra ji had once mentioned in his interview due to their internal conflicts MVA will lose power and thatrsquos what happened They sidelined Devendra ji who was like a brother to them two years ago so life comes full circle Karma comes back It has happened with them and I feel sorry for them also But thats the way they conducted themselves The most deserving of them all is still in power and I think Eknath Shinde ji is a gem of a person in terms of the way he works and hes at the right position I think both Eknath ji and Devendra ji will do good for the city and for MaharashtraShould the Sena talk to the BJP for a patchup Is there any possibility of reconciliationThe Sena is already with the BJP I do not know about twothree people who are left behind they do not make the Sena The BJP and Sena are already togetherWhat is your message to the oppositionThere are no lifetime enemies in politics and shouldnt be Timing plays an important role sometimes people are here sometimes people are there I would just urge everyone that whatever developmental goals the new government has please support them There might be issues but they can be resolved though meetings and discussionsRead AlsoMaharashtra Original Shiv Sena and BJP will contest civic polls together says CM Eknath ShindeON THE AAREY METRO SHED CONTROVERSYDo you think the Eknath Shindeled government is being misled on the Aarey metro car shed issueThere is a lot which was explained by Ashwini Bhide ji It is not the way it has been showcased There is a little parcel of area which requires the cutting of trees Just like the greenery at Nagpur Metro car shed we can replant trees at the Aarey car shed too So nature and development can coexist I think we donrsquot have to do away with the greenery And wherever possible we should keep planting trees We have Aarey with us but only a patch of land we need for the car shed is being cleared That is for the convenience of the citizens of MumbaiON MARRIAGE AND MOTHERHOODHow has the journey of marriage been so farOh it is as it is for most couples sometimes roses sometimes thorns but that respect for each other is all that matters Understanding and knowing each other is more important than just texting 24x7Was it a conscious decision to shield your daughter from the public given that she has highprofile parentsShes so busy with her school life sports and extracurricular activities that she has no time to be in the media I donrsquot think she even has the inclination towards the glamour world These are not years where she needs to be seen on camera She has been raised like any other normal child During their growing years children donrsquot need such exposure The child needs to just strengthen their own fundamental attributes to later traverse the journey of life beautifullyThankfully at school she is not given VIP treatment Her school has kept her grounded And at home both of us spend a great deal of time with her we try to be friends with her I try my best to take key updates of her day And she has no priorities in terms of being a politicians child we ensure that shes never given that kind of priority anywhere I take her along with me for social work so that she knows the ground reality of how a common man struggles to make ends meet This reality check I believe helps keep her grounded Her grandparents also teach her important lessons from the Vedas the Mahabharata and the RamayanaIs Devendra Fadnavis an emotional person Is he romanticHe is definitely an emotional person And he really has a very soft heart I would say he is concerned a lot about me But he is not like those typical romantic men who will give you flowers or compliment you often He believes in inner beauty and is always more attracted to what a person is from inside His choice is a goldenhearted woman rather than an hourglass body shape I really respect him for thatWho is the boss at homeAs Ive always said hes the boss and I take the decisionsAfter a fight who says sorry firstBelieve me when I say this we never fight I understand his urgencies and preferences I always operate according to his requirements And similarly he supports me in whatever I need Theres no need for a fightWhat kind of food does your family enjoyWe eat a balanced diet like sabzi roti jowarbajra is our preference dal and chawal I cook once in a while but I instruct my cook on how the meals have to be prepared and the ingredients to be avoidedOne habit you love and dislike about your husbandHis irregular routine and odd mealtimes irk me He has no time for exercise But thats the kind of public life hes living He is very honest and transparent Thats what I like about him And as I said hes softhearted Additionally he understands what I as a spouse would want to have in life and he respects that Not that I need his backing but his support helps me mentallyDescribe him as a leaderIts very rare for a politician to be softhearted And thats why hes been taken for a ride But he has come out a winner Im proud his hard work paid off He has a vision for Maharashtra And he is open to new ideas and changes I like that quality of hisDoes your husband sing wellHe remembers thousands of songs and their perfect And I easily remember tunes and forget lyrics Whenever I forget the lyrics of a song in a family gathering he reminds me of the lyricsON INDEPENDENCE DAY AND PATRIOTISMHow do you define patriotismThe spirit of patriotism is always in our hearts One should always remember that people make the nation If yoursquore a responsible citizen who pays taxes on time treasures public property maintains cleanliness among other factors then it is sorted to quite an extent These are small things but still not being done or we wouldnrsquot need a prime minister to request citizens to fight the problem of litteringWhat will your Independence Day celebration look likeThis year we are going to hoist the flag at home and then I have a programme with a tribal community in Thane Also I have to attend the launch of a startup that produces medicines at low costs for the needy population Its a busy day on 15th AugustWhat is that one thing that you want to be independent fromI donrsquot want to have any inhibitions There are inhibitions when you operate a certain way because you think someone might say something or someone might retaliate or troll So I want to be completely free of these inhibitions Because somewhere I know whatever Im doing is in the right direction and it will never harm anyone it will always be good for everyone But still at times I have this feeling that I am on the back foot because this might get challenged or that might get trolled I want to be free of thatON DEALING WITH TROLLSHow do you deal with trolls on social mediaOh that is disgusting But Ive learnt to deal with it positively I think it can be a stepping stone to becoming a better or stronger person in life And I believe trolls are politically motivated and paid by opposition parties I look at it only that way What matters to me is the suggestion of my near and dear ones and good friends And I stick to their suggestionsHow do you react when people comment on what you wearAs you are in public life through social media you are voluntarily putting your thoughts or photographs out there Its not that Ive kept it between the four walls of a house Its a part and parcel of the game of social media You have to accept it with a pinch of salt Its the right of other social media handles to comment on itON MUMBAI AND WOMENrsquoS SAFETYDo you think now Mumbai is now a safer place to live inMumbai has always been safe to live in There have been patches like during the last twoandahalf years where the governing heads were not that strong and there were issues in terms of governance Mumbai was always the safest city especially for women but there were a few years when there was dheela governance in the city However now there is better governance in the stateWhat is your message for the women of Mumbai and MaharashtraThe women of Mumbai and Maharashtra are the epitome of independence for the entire nation They maintain a balance between their personal and work lives and I am proud of being a part of such a culture Kudos to all the women of Maharashtra they are the torchbearers of our cultureRead AlsoMumbai Aarey car shed a scam of enormous proportions