A 34-year-old with her roots in Punjab, who was born and brought up in Mumbai’s posh Lokhandwala Complex and has worked in the film industry in south India, is contesting the Lok Sabha elections from Amravati in the Vidarbha region. Navneet Rana is married to local MLA Ravi Rana, a close associate of Baba Ramdev. On April 18, when Amravati will go to polls in the second phase, Ms. Rana will be in the fray against the sitting Shiv Sena MP Anandrao Adsul who had defeated her in 2014 by a sizeable margin of 1.3 lakh votes. There are 22 other candidates including Vanchit Bahujan Agadhi’s Gunwant Devpare and Bahujan Samaj Party’s Arun Wankhede. But locals predict that it will be a tough fight between Ms Rana, an independent candidate from Yuva Swabhiman Party who has support from the Maha Aghadi and Mr. Adsul. The Hindu tagged along with Ms. Rana as she sought the blessings of a Jain monk and support from the Jain community, stopped by a newly opened sweet shop to interact with locals, met Sindhi’s in their camps, and inaugurated a party booth in the first half of her day…
What are your chances of winning against Shiv Sena leader and current MP Mr Adsul?
In 2014, it was the Modi wave that swept the country. I lost in that wave. My chances are far better this time. My opponent has not worked for the core issues that affect the constituency like having an airport, a government medical college, starting the work on dams that can bring water to the farms etc. The problem is that he is an outsider. Since he is not from this constituency, there is no dedication. I am hopeful that the people will be able to see through this
You are not from Amravati either. Aren’t you an outsider too?
I am the daughter-in-law of Amravati. We all know that in India, a daughter-in-law does much more than a daughter and the husband’s house becomes the main house of a woman. I am definitely not an outsider.
In 2014, you contested on an NCP ticket. Do you think you will get the same support as an independent candidate?
I have worked hard for the past 10 years, reaching out to people and being present for them. Women from the constituency first reach out to me in case of any problems, be it a case of molestation or any other support they need. I stand by them and give them confidence. If anything, the support for me has only multiplied.
What are the core issues in Amravati that the sitting MP has overlooked and you plan to focus on?
Amravati is the biggest district after Nagpur but in comparison, its growth is not even 50%. The development of the area has stalled due to lack of an airport. The State sanctioned the airport a few years ago but it is pending in the Lok Sabha. Another appalling issue is the absence of a government medical college which can bring in senior doctors, research and better healthcare in the district. Suicides of farmers remains a pertinent issue. The work on dams is pending and the benefit of loan waiver has not reached the farmers because of the middlemen. Just like we have a large budget for the railways, there should be a budget for the upliftment of farmers and their children and the benefits should reach them. Another major problem is lack of connectivity to the tribal regions of Melghat, Chikhaldara, Ranigaon etc. They don’t have good roads and there are no mobile signals. This has kind of alienated the region.
Is it tough being a woman and an actress in politics?
For the first few years, I was only known as Ravi Rana’s wife. But I have made a mark for myself now. My earlier profession as an actor has never bothered people in the grassroots. I feel they are more accepting. They see me as a woman who lived a lavish life and is now roaming around in the sun for social causes. My opponents have left no stone unturned to use my profession against me. But I am a staunch admirer of Jayalalithaa. She was an actress, a star, who reached out to every poor family. I am going to follow her footsteps.
