Kolkata: From washing utensils and cleaning homes to winning a Vidhan Sabha seat and then being appointed a minister in the West Bengal Assembly, it has been a remarkable journey for Kalita Majhi.
While it is a story of her grit and determination, the BJP’s confidence in her for such an important election also mattered.
Kalita worked as a domestic help, earning Rs 4,000 a month. In her free time, she would balance household chores and political work.
Her victory in the recent Assembly polls stands out as one of the highlights of the BJP’s sweeping win in West Bengal. The party gave her a second chance by naming her as its candidate for the Ausgram seat in the Purba Bardhaman district of the state.
The party’s confidence paid off after the 37-year-old defeated Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate Shyama Prasanna Lohar by 12,535 votes. On Monday, she was selected a minister in the Suvendu Adhikari government.
“I am very happy, and I am grateful that Prime Minister Narendra Modi kept faith in me. Today, I can gift him this win,” Kalita said, speaking to The Indian Express over the phone.
“My main focus will be to work for the development of the backward classes, and to ensure that proper roads and drinking water reach everyone’s homes. I will also work for the development of the youth and the safety and security of women,” she added.
A resident of Majhpukur Para in Ward No 3 of Guskara Municipality, Kalita used to work as a domestic help in two houses. She stays with her husband, Subrata Majhi, a plumber, and their son, who has appeared for his Class 12 exams.
She has been in active politics for over 10 years now. Kalita’s life changed when the BJP gave her a ticket to contest the 2021 Assembly elections from Ausgram, which is a part of the Bolpur Lok Sabha constituency and a Scheduled Caste reserved seat, as reported by The Indian Express.
TMC candidate Abhedananda Thander won the seat with 1,00,392 votes that year. Kalita came second with 88,577 votes. This time around, she secured 1,07,692 votes.
After her name was announced in the first list of BJP candidates, she took a month off from work to focus on campaigning, Kalita said.
“The families in the homes where I have worked for so many years are very happy. They blessed me. They always stood by me whenever I needed them; now, they are very happy for me,” she said.
Being a domestic help has helped Kalita understand the basic issues of the common man and the sufferings of the poor in her constituency, she said, adding that her focus is to build a hospital to help people in her village, who have to travel to the main Burdwan town to get medical facilities.
From encouraging the use of solar panels to generate electricity and infrastructure development to generating employment opportunities, Kalita listed a slew of priorities.
“I also want central government schemes to be implemented in West Bengal. All of us have the right to have a secure roof over our heads. I will introduce the PM’s housing scheme and build homes and toilets,” Kalita said.
