Chandrani Murmu, elected from Keonjhar, has the distinction of being the youngest member of the 17th Lok Sabha. She will becelebrating her 26th birthday on June 16 after attending the first session of the new Lok Sabha. Our Correspondent Rajendra K Sahu had an interview with her at her late maternal grandfather politician Harihar Soren’s house in Keonjhar town. Chandrani was also very candid in her replies.
At 25, you have this time been elected as the country’s youngest MP. How do you feel about it?
I feel myself both proud and privileged for the people have elected me to the Lok Sabha at this age. I am also thankful to honorable Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for the faith he reposed on me for this post.
Did you find your BJP rival a strong challenger to your winning chances?
Actually, being new in this field of election, I was not aware of any particular challenge of the BJP candidate but was treating every other contender as equal as my rival.
You are a mechanical engineer by education. Why did you opt for a political career?
Actually, I have not opted for my political career although I spent my early life in a political atmosphere. My maternal grandfather late Harihar Soren was also an MP belonging to the Congress, who had a political influence in my life. I remember how people were coming to him and discussions of Parliamentary proceeding were going on around me when I was small child. After completion of my BTech, I was searching for a government service. At that time, this offer (to contest elections) came to me as Godsend.
What will be your priorities in serving your constituency?
Time being very short in my hand before becoming a candidate for the elections, it wasn't possible on my part to know about the different problems of my constituency. So first of all, let me acquainted myself with the actual situation by touring the entire area which I am going to do it very shortly. Then, I shall fix my priorities. However at present, I feel there is need of more trains to run through Keonjhar. Presently, only one train, Puri- Rourkela, is running through Keonjhar.
Also, there is a need of setting up a steel plant in Keonjhar to solve the problem of unemployment in the district. During my campaign in the Telkoi Assembly area, I felt that people are facing a lot of difficulty due to scarcity of water which needs to be solved very soon.
Will you marry a politician or a man from a different walk of life?
First of all, I want that to whom I will marry must be a good human being. And he must not have any objections to my doing politics.
Lastly, she was very candid in her reply to what will be the expectations of people of Keonjhar who have elected her by a thumping majority, She said, “Let people see my work; I will not comment beforehand.
She also mentioned, “During recent past, I have passed through turmoil of a controversy of life which has disturbed me and my family members.” She was obviously referring to the “morphed” videos of her obscene images circulating in social media.