First-time MPs share their journeys to Lok Sabha polls: Can’t have career if…

At the India Today Conclave, Sanjna Jatav, a first-time Congress MP from Rajasthan’s Bharatpur, reflected on her political journey, describing the experience as entirely new. “Coming from a very ordinary family and having been involved in politics for just four years, stepping into Parliament has been a transformative experience,” she said.
Speaking during the session titled ‘The Debutants: First-Time MPs Redefining Politics’, Jatav emphasised the significance of her journey. “For someone who once lived in a village, contesting elections for positions such as jila parishad, MLA, and now MP is nothing short of remarkable,” she remarked.
In a contrasting narrative, Shambhavi Choudhary, another debutant MP from Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party, acknowledged her privileged background but underscored the pivotal role of public choice in her political career.
“In politics, everything depends on the people. We are the representatives of the people, for the people, and by the people. I cannot have a political career if the people don’t elect me,” Choudhary asserted.
She further elaborated, “I have worked as hard as any other candidate—perhaps even harder because I am a woman. My background does not diminish the effort I’ve put into my campaign.”
Talking on similar lines, another first-time MP and a royal from the Wadiyar dynasty from Karnataka’s Mysuru, Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, said that the principle of leadership remains the same whether it’s monarchy or democracy.
“The principle of leadership remains the same. Whether it was a monarchy back then or a democracy like today. Even the idea of service remains the same, whether it’s raj dharma or the democratic dharma. Those monarchs who were most successful were amongst the people and responded to the people as well. Even today, those who want to be successful in the political field need to be responsible to the people who elect us,” Wadiyar said.
Sasikanth Senthil, debutant Congress MP from Tamil Nadu’s Tiruvallur and former Deputy Commissioner, pointed out that the word politics is demonised in today’s times, but everyone is political in different manners.
“The word politics is so demonised these days. But my biggest learning is that all of us are political and have always been political. The day we begin discussing political issues or government performances, we become political. My parents never asked me to become a politician. They always wanted me to become an IAS officer and this is the crisis we are facing right now,” Senthil said.
When asked about the journey of his first political victory, Tanuj Punia, another first-time Congress MP from Uttar Pradesh’s Barabanki said that he has been meeting people in his area for the last eight years and everyone in his constituency knows him.
“I have been meeting people in Barabanki for the last eight years. I have contested Assembly polls three times from Jaitpur and not even a single person can say he or she hasn’t met me. I contested the first election soon after I got married. My wife says you never go on a holiday with me. A lot of effort was made and making Congress win in stronghold of Samajwadi Party and the BJP is a big thing,” he siad.