WINNING STREAK: Newly elected JMM MP from Jamshedpur Suman Mahto and deputy chief minister Sudhir Mahto celebrate the former’s victory in the by-election. Picture by Bhola Prasad

The journey from a housewife to a Member of Parliament (MP) was not an easy one for the 43-year-old Suman Mahto. But the newly-elected Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) MP from Jamshedpur knows exactly where she is headed.

Fresh from her winning streak, the widow of slain JMM leader Sunil Mahto took time out to speak to The Telegraph about her priorities and future plan of action.

“The win is a tribute to my husband’s work and the sacrifice he made. I will try my best to give shape to his unfulfilled dreams. I had lost everything in the Baguria incident but I thank the voters, who reposed their faith in me,” she said.

Her agenda includes plans for the rural population, women and ailing industrial units. While underlining her priorities, Mahto said: “It was due to my husband’s effort that the ambitious National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) was implemented in the East Singhbhum region. I will take up the issue with the state government and ensure that each and every household in rural areas of the district get at least 100 days of guaranteed wages in every financial year.”

Women empowerment is another area Mahto will be focusing on. Notably, she runs a non-government organisation (NGO) that has around 5,000 women volunteers working in various welfare schemes.

“I have always fought for the cause of women and I will continue doing so in my career as a Parliamentarian,” she pointed out. Her priorities also include opening of copper mines at Jadugoda and Moubhandar under Hindustan Copper Limited (HCL).

Moreover, Mahto said she will take all the steps necessary to ensure the smooth revival of city-based Incab Industries Limited, which is lying sick for the past seven years.

In fact, for Mahto, the ailing company is of significance as it was on the Incab grounds that her husband addressed his last public meeting, a day before he was killed by the Maoists in Baguria, under the Ghatshila sub-division.

Rural electricification, would be another area of focus for the new MP.

“It is a very sorry state of affairs as far as electricity supply in the rural areas is concerned. As a people’s representative, I will do all that is necessary to implement the Rajiv Gandhi Vidyutikaran Pariyojana in remote and inaccessible areas of the constituency,” she said.

Mahto kept busy meeting party workers and well-wishers at her Gamharia residence. Later in the evening she attended a felicitation programme along with deputy chief minister Sudhir Mahto in Sakchi, Jamshedpur.

Mahto said she is awaiting a nod from JMM chief Shibu Soren to proceed to New Delhi for taking part in the oath taking ceremony.

Suman Mahto was a former employee of Tata Steel in the personnel department. But due to personal reasons she opted for an early separation scheme (ESS) in 1998 and began assisting her husband to run a hotel at Gamharia near her residence.

After Sunil Mahto’s win from the Jamshedpur parliamentary seat in 2004, Suman began working for the society and started an NGO — Sunidhi, through which she worked for the empowerment of women.

With all her priorities set right and support from the masses, one has to wait and watch how the JMM MP fares in her new role.