Editor-in-chief
The assemblies are on and clad in a red saree the busy lady comes to the office with a sweet greeting on the face. Read about Baishali Dalmiya, the MLA of Bally constituency, in a more candid way.
WT: The assemblies are on so is your preparation for next year election, though you are not contesting for the MP elections?
BD: See, people are always with us. Our Hon’ble Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, has always made sure of the development of the state for which different projects and schemes are devised every now and then. We are working on the ground with the projects and people are really happy with the work. So, definitely, this election people will be with us.
WT: Being the daughter of late Shri Jagmohan Dalmiya, was it an easy entry for you in the politics?
BD: (with a smile) getting a ticket to contest the election is absolutely the Chief Minister’s prerogative. It has nothing to do with my being his daughter. But yes, contesting and then was easy as everybody knew my father and his works. He was always with the people and by their side. So, I can say that my win and convincing people were a little easier. I would thank the Hon’ble Chief Minister to trust my capabilities to contest the election.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DxM22PYd14[/embedyt]
WT: There is another rumor that Baishali’s viral smile makes it easy to win the public’s heart.
BD: (giggling) I am very positive in life. If there is life there will be problems and I am never bogged down with that. I always smile and brush away the problems and stay positive. I keep on smiling since my childhood.
WT: What are your developmental plans for women in the coming years?
BD: There are various schemes for women both in the state and obviously in our constituency where women are trained and given certificates. One is the distribution of the sewing machine so that women can learn. There are also driving lessons for the women which are clubbed with ‘Gotidhara’ scheme where a certain income group gets a 30% discount on the vehicles they purchase for livelihood.
Recently a group of 24 women came to me for help as they wanted to do something but without a clue as to what to do. It was also then that I attended one of the meetings of our Hon’ble Chief Minister who said to the citizens to think of their income as well to think of generating employment to others. I applied the same with this group of 24 women by setting up a micro-unit in Liluah where they are packaging pulses. They have got all the clearances required to sell the product and one of the biggest malls in India have shown interest in their products and soon we may see that available in the market.
WT: If not politician how could we see Baishali Dalmiya as?
BD: Before joining politics I had been into administration for the last 23 years. I am very competent in it and give me any kind of administration I shall deliver the best to you. Apart from that social work is my passion and forte. So you could see me as both social worker and administrator.
WT: Back in 2016, you had once told a media that social work is the drive to drag you to politics. So, being a celebrity socially working politician how do you manage everything together?
BD: Yes, social work is my passion. I don’t want people to come because I am a celebrity and that people will come to me to share their problems. I want to stand by them.
WT: Your upcoming entrepreneurial projects for women.
BD: Like I said before ‘Gotidhara’, training programs and other projects that can be helpful for women. The project ‘Aahar’ where the women produce and also packages pulses and spices is helping women financially. But these production and packaging can be done with other products as well as plastic products which will need less finance and space to work with.
WT: It has been in news quite sometime back that media is male-biased when it comes to a serious political discussion with politicians? Do you agree or disagree?
BD: I disagree completely. The media personnel goes to one whom they feel confident answering their queries. It is not like being male or female dominated.
WT: We can see Baishali Dalmiya in social works, politics and also judging beauty pageants. So how do you manage so many things from a different genre?
WT: Will your son be a politician in the future, following your footsteps?
BD: He is interested in sports. He is good at football and is the captain of his team. Recently he won a cup and I think we shall make a room to display his trophies he got in this one and a half year. He also played cricket but now he is focused on football. I think he shall follow in my father’s footsteps.
WT: Your morning starts from 6.30 a.m. till 9.30 p.m. how do you manage to stay fit?
BD: I do not get much time to exercise though I have a walker in my room I always tend to forget or maybe I intentionally tend to forget (says with a laugh). In the morning I generally sit with a cup of tea and try to solve the problems of the people around me and so I do not exercise which is very bad. I request all the young people reading this interview please do not do what I am doing. Everyone should exercise in the morning, if not, then at least a brisk walk is important. Throughout the year I am on fruits.
WT: What is Baishali Dalmiya’s fashion statement?
BD: As per fashion goes I am candid. Normally I wear churidar or salwar kameez and sarees. I love to wear salwar but now I have made a habit of wearing sarees. I do not visit parlors. I am just as it is.
WT: Your upcoming social projects?
BD: I am coming up with a project with old age people but since I have not yet launched and am not yet done with my homework so let us not disclose that. But surely the project is a different one where I will try and include more like-minded people from the community.
WT: Message for women of this era?
BD: The only message I want to give is that we should work hard and go ahead. Anyone who works hard shall excel. I hear at times women say that they can do better than men but they should be no comparison at all. Irrespective of gender success comes to one who toils hard.
