Susieben Shah, who was appointed chairperson of the Maharashtra State Commission for Women in January, is keen to contest the forthcoming assembly election against Mangal Prabhat Lodha, the BJP MLA from Malabar Hill, as she alleges that he has done little for the constituency.
Shah has written to the chief electoral officer for Maharashtra on Friday, seeking clarification on whether she could contest the election while continuing in the post, which is not an office of profit. She has said that she doesn't draw a salary but receives an honorarium of Rs7,000 monthly.
When contacted, Shah confirmed that she has written to the commission. "Yes, I have sought the EC's guidance before deciding to take the plunge into electoral politics. I do not hold an office of profit so I don't think there would be any issue," she said.
Shah had written similar letters to the Women and Child Development department and the Maharashtra State Election Commission a fortnight ago but did not get any reply.
Shah hopes to contest on a Congress ticket from the Malabar Hill constituency, which was represented by her father BA Desai for four terms.
The Congress has not decided on its list of candidates and there are other leaders, among them Rajkumar Bafna, who are said to be eying the party ticket from Malabar Hill.
Like her father, Shah too is a lawyer. She joined the Congress in 1989 and has expressed a wish to get into electoral politics for some time.
Shah already has a plan ready for the campaign that will focus on the work she had done in the area and also describe a programme to help change the landscape of the area as well as the lives of the people.
On the incumbent MLA, she said: "In the past few years, Lodha launched several plum realty projects across the city and has become a big landlord. But he has not done anything for the constituency where people continue to suffer poor roads.
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