Praniti Shinde’s fingers fly over her BlackBerry as she sits in her campaign vehicle. When she’s not texting, she is calling up party workers, local leaders, friends, journalists and elder sister who is “doing a door-to-door”. She pops a few Ayurveda pills for a sore throat as she ticks off a scribe for writing that heavy rain prevented her from reaching out to voters the day before. “That’s not true. I was out among the people and we even did some rescue work,” she says, her tone alternating between petulant, firm and friendly.
As she alights at Leprosy Colony in Solapur (Central) to address a group of 40 weaver women, 28-year-old Praniti gets down to business. Sitting cross-legged under a tamarind tree, she sets her BlackBerry aside and looks comfortable sharing seating space with the group which looks at her with hope.
“How many of you have yellow cards or get pensions?” she asks. “I know, just two or three. That’s because your pensions are drawn by someone else while you suffer. I will ensure pucca houses for you and jobs for your children. Just stay with me.”
At Kunthanaka, she inspects a house that collapsed in the rains, crossing open nalas and gushing manholes with dexterity.
The youngest daughter of former Maharashtra CM Sushil Kumar Shinde looks set for the dirt and grime of politics. Her light eyes narrowing ever so slightly as she listens to people pour out their woes, Praniti is confident of taking on sitting CPI MLA Adam Narsaiah, popularly known as Adam Master. She has been working in Solapur at the grassroots through her NGO Jai-Jui (pronounced Zai-Zui) Foundation for over six years now.
“While my work at Jai-Jui was hugely satisfying, I wanted to reach to more people and chose to contest the polls,” she explains. A lawyer by profession, Praniti says she has complete respect for her opponent, “the old man”. “But the Left is no longer the worker-friendly party it is made out to be. It is the Congress that has always been with the aam aadmi,” Praniti says waving her hand.
Slim and diminutive at 5 feet 2 inches, she packs a punch in her speeches. Having worked with marginalised rural youth and women through Jai-Jui, the young leader strikes an instant chord with this segment. “I am like a younger sister. Just order me and I will implement your wishes,” she tells powerloom and factory workers at minority-dominated Yateenkhana.
Focusing on issues like roads, drainage, lights and sanitation, Praniti tells the crowd, “Mai koi jadugar nahi hoon jo chhadi hila doon aur sab theek ho jayega. (I’m no magician who can wave a wand and make everything alright).”
While avoiding mentioning Adam Master by name, Praniti tells listeners that she hates leaders who vanish after the polls. “I will come here often and will always hear you out.” Back in the vehicle, Praniti says she prefers interactive sessions with the voters rather than lengthy speeches. “The citizens have a lot of pent-up anger. They need an outlet to express themselves. Voters have a right to know what the candidate is about. That is why I stress such sessions even if they get ugly at times.”
With an electorate of 2.84 lakh, Solapur Central has about 30,000 weavers, many of them Telugus, several beedi workers, small-time traders, shop owners and a sizeable number of Muslims. Praniti’s energy and passion come across as a breath of fresh air, says Jyothi, a beedi workers trade union leader. So when Praniti walks into a beedi unit at Jagadamba Chowk, the women believe she can deliver.
Asked about the omnipresent dynasty tag in Congress, Praniti is quick to say,
“No one says that about me in Solapur because they’ve seen my work for six to
seven years.” For added effect, she quotes the oft-quoted Paulo Coelho, “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you achieve it.”
When some women with representations gather around her as she comes out of a meeting, she says, “Come over to my place tomorrow. We will work out a solution together.” As a TV crew gathers around her and asks her what her theme song is, Praniti replies instantly, “Ye jo des hai mera, woh swades hai mera (from Shah Rukh Khan’s critically acclaimed Swades).” And of course, it’s her caller tune.
Solapur Constituency
Solapur District in Maharashtra has a total population of 38, 49,543 people. It has 11 talukas. With an electorate of 2.84 lakh, Solapur Central has about 30,000 weavers, many of them Telugus, several beedi workers, small-time traders, shop owners and a sizeable number of Muslims. Solapur is also an important railway junction on the North-South train line.
— madhavi@epmltd.com