My victory a trust vote for Modi: Diya Kumari

By Archana Sharma

Jaipur, May 29 (IANS) As a young and dynamic leader from Rajasthan, Diya Kumari, the newly elected Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Rajsamand, has a fair chance of either being picked up as a Union Minister by Prime Minister Narendra Modi or promoted as a face of the party in the state.

In an interview to IANS, Kumari said, "I will happily accept whatever role the party assigns me. We have an element of discipline in the BJP and we can't dictate our terms to the party leadership. My basic aim is to serve the people and I will remain committed to it."

Kumari, a member of the erstwhile royal family of Jaipur, won the Rajsamand seat defeating Congress candidate Devkinandan (Kaka) by 5,51,916 votes.

She dedicated her victory to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's exemplary work. "People have given a strong mandate to me and the BJP trusting Modi, after seeing the good work he did for the country," she said.

She said her core priorities for Rajsamand would be developing tourism infrastructure, getting a broad gauge railway line and better roads.

"I want to help create employment opportunities through tourism projects. Helping young women and men develop employable skills by setting up institutes of higher education and skill development are on my priority list as well," she said.

According to Kumari, opening army recruitment centres in Rajsamand would also be worked upon as the town had many ex-servicemen.

The former BJP MLA from Sawai Madhopur has for several years been working to empower women from deprived backgrounds. Her NGO Princess Diya Kumari Foundation (PDKF) helps women become independent and self-sufficient by allowing them skill building and livelihood opportunities.

"Women in Rajasthan are quite enterprising. My NGO trains them, helps them open bank accounts and even provides them with resources to start own ventures. I feel women empowerment is one of the most effective tools for social development," she told IANS.

Kumari was the brand ambassador of 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' campaign in Rajasthan for two years. "We launched many awareness programmes under the campaign. I tried my best to reach out to masses and convey the message that daughters are no less than boys," the BJP leader said.

She, however, feels the disparity between the number of girls and boys in secondary school is still high and needs to be bridged.

"Educated young women have a greater chance of escaping poverty, avoiding child marriages, leading healthier and more productive lives, and raising the standard of living for their children, families and communities," she said.

Stressing the enterprising nature of women in Rajasthan, Kumari said, "Rajasthan was ruled by a woman Chief Minister for 10 years." On her relations with mentor Vasundhara Raje, she said, "She brought me into politics and has been my anchor since then. She and MLA Kiran Maheshwari were quite supportive of me during my early years in politics."