Trial by fire

It’s been barely six months into her marriage with one of the youngest Members of Parliament in India’s history, so you can hardly blame Pooja Deora (nee Shetty) for being a little overwhelmed by the juggernaut of the Indian electoral system she inherited by default.

 “Even before we actually got married, my mother-in-law (Hema Deora) had spoken to me about the adjustments that come with a political career. I wasn’t scared or anything, but I hadn’t seen the political side of Milind at all. It wasn’t something we talked about – it was always more personal things. I had told her then that I’ll live and learn. And now I can safely say I did,” says the film producer, with a smile.

And it’s been a pretty hands-on experience in a whole new ball game for the young lady who grew up living and breathing films, thanks to her father Manmohan Shetty. “Till now, my involvement in politics was from the other side of the fence – as a voter. I was never expecting anything like I this. It was exciting, complicated, but also draining.”

 Fittingly, her coach and guide was none other than her mother-in-law. “She was the one doing all the work; I was just about trailing her. She has such a flair for language, is so at ease with large gatherings and has this natural warmth about her that connects with people. She even gave me a line or two to help prepare me. I’m not even one-tenth of what she is! I just wonder how she does it.”

While the results have underlined his support base, the public interactions weren’t without their prickly moments. “There was negativity at times and it bothered me more than it even did Milind, because I know he has worked hard. A lot of people didn’t seem to understand that he’s standing for MP, not MLA. So the issues were larger than roads and traffic jams. And also, it was his first term.”

We heard Milind lost a lot of weight during the hectic canvassing period. Did she as well? Pooja laughs. “Actually, he wasn’t well...And if I lost any weight, I’ve put it all back on in the past few days.”

Is it something to do with all the celebration that must be going on in the house? “What celebration? Where is the time? We met up with Milind’s friends and party-workers who worked hard for this victory. Yes, there’s a huge sense of relief and the stress is over. When the counting was on, I was sitting with my mother-in-law, my father and sister, listening to updates. It was like a cricket match, all chatting and cheering, still unsure till the official announcement was made. Near evening, my father-in-law walked in and calmed us down – ‘Just relax, it’s done’.” 

So as Milind prepares for his role in government formation, is relocation to Delhi on the cards? “I really don’t know. It’s up to him to decide. My only advice to him is to look at the long-term picture,” ends  Pooja.