It was raining and S. Chitra’s election campaign was held up as a result. Only after a round of campaigning could she return home to deliver dinner to regular customers of her mother’s small catering business.
Every day, Ms. Chitra, the Left Democratic Front (LDF)-backed Independent candidate from Fort ward for the city Corporation elections, is up early to help her mother with cooking. She then delivers food to a few nearby houses on her scooter and hits the campaign trail by 7.30 a.m. By 10 a.m. or so, the morning campaign is over and she is back home to buy vegetables, help with the lunch preparations, and delivery, before getting back on the campaign trail. It’s the same schedule at night too, with help from her brothers.
Natural choice
The young candidate is pursuing her MBA from the University of Kerala, Karyavattom, after completing her BSc in Biochemistry from there. With her entire family a supporter of the CPI(M) and her experience working with the Students’ Federation of India during undergraduate studies, it was but natural for her to gravitate towards politics. When the Fort ward was reserved for women candidates, Ms. Chitra was asked if she wanted to contest the elections. Her political inclination and experience of being a class representative left her in no doubt that this was what she wanted to do.
The other two candidates in the ward are also Independents, one of them a former councillor too. However, Ms. Chitra is confident of her chances here, particularly owing to the local connect. “I was born and brought up here. A majority of the people know my mother because of her business, and my father who was a newspaper agent. There are a lot of personal connections.”
Asked how she planned to balance her responsibilities as a councillor if she won, her studies, and supporting her mother in running the catering business, Ms. Chitra is unfazed. “I have been delivering food for long now. It does not take much time and is like a routine. Yet, I did well in studies and even got a scholarship in school. If I win the election, I am sure managing my responsibilities will not be a problem.”
Quizzed about her future plans after she completes her MBA, Ms. Chitra says politics is what she wants to pursue and she is confident she will succeed.
But if she loses, does she have a plan B. “No, there is no plan B. I have jumped into the fray. Now, there is no looking back. I want to keep moving ahead,” says Ms. Chitra.
