You started your political career as a Notified Area Council (NAC) member and now you have been appointed as governor. Your journey has been phenomenal and interesting... 

It’s all because of God’s grace. I have witnessed many ups and downs in life. On the personal front, I have suffered a lot. I have lost my two sons and my husband. I was completely devastated. I had quit my government job and had decided to confine myself to my home. But God has given me the strength. Even though I was active in politics, I embarked on a journey on the spiritual path. Now what has happened is because of God’s grace only. I will go to Puri and seek Lord Jagannath’s blessings.  

You had won Assembly elections in 2000 and 2004, but lost two successive elections in 2009 and 2014. 
It seems you had lost the credibility as a politician... 

One should not judge a politician by the results of elections. A politician should be judged by his or her involvement in public life. Besides, there are many other factors by which a politician should be judged.  

While the Narendra Modi wave worked in many states during the last general elections, it did not work here (Odisha). What are the reasons? Why did BJP fail in the state? 

There are many reasons. But since I have been appointed as a governor, I should not comment on the issue. Still, perhaps we failed to take the A.B. Vajpayee government’s success stories to the people. Once you go down, it becomes tougher to rise again. It takes time.

The party has been completely decimated in different elections in the state. How do you see the BJP’s future? 

Don’t drag me into party politics. It would not be proper for me to make any comment on the issue as I have already been named as the governor of Jharkhand. However, the organisation is working hard to strengthen the party’s base in the state. The membership drive is going on and the state leadership is working hard to strengthen the party. Central leaders are regularly visiting the state. In politics, you 
can’t write off the BJP in the state. It will certainly make a comeback.
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The BJP miserably failed in the last general elections and managed to win only one Lok Sabha seat. But the Narendra Modi government has made two ministers (Jual Oram and Dharmendra Pradhan) from the state and now has inducted you as a governor. It seems the BJP is now focusing on Odisha. 

Certainly, the BJP government is focusing on Odisha. But I must tell you that after Modiji became Prime Minister, he has risen above party politics and has been trying to bring development across India and not in any particular state. My appointment has been made as the Centre wants all sections of the society participating in the administration. The Modi government’s motto is “Sabke saath and Sabke vikash”.

You are going to be the governor of a state that has witnessed sustained political instability. The instability may continue in the coming days. How will you manage it? 

I will try to remain apolitical. I will work according to the Constitution and try to contribute my bit for the development of Jharkhand.

You are one of the senior women leaders from the state’s tribal pocket. After you leave the state, there will be a vacuum in the BJP cadre.

I don’t think so. In politics, the vacuum will be filled up. And in our party, there is no dearth of women leaders. New leaders will come up. 

You had served as a minister in the BJD-BJP coalition government from 2000 to 2004. How will your administrative experience help you in discharging your role as a governor?

My administrative experience will certainly help. The role of a governor is to guide a state government and help the administration function smoothly. I will try to establish a perfect co-ordination with the government to put Jharkhand on the path of development.

Jharkhand is a Maoist-affected state and has repeatedly witnessed violence. Is that a big burden on you?

One must always try to understand the root cause of the Maoist problem. It’s mainly because of non-development of their areas and also the lack of education. Being a governor, I will certainly request the state government to work on this front. I will also appeal to Maoists to shun violence. Violence and guns achieve nothing. I do hope that being a tribal woman, they will certainly listen to my request.

What will be your focus

My focus will be on the overall development of Jharkhand. The state has all the natural resources but is still languishing in poverty. I will try and help the state government to make Jharkhand a leading and prosperous state. I have special interest in women empowerment and uplift of tribal and downtrodden people. There are many central schemes for women empowerment that are waiting to be executed. 

You are the first woman from Odisha to be appointed as the governor of a state. How do you feel?

We have to leave that sort of attitude and mentality. We are human beings. There should be no discrimination and gender bias. Women constitute 49 per cent of the population. If women are not equally empowered, there can be no development.

Could you tell us who recommended your name for this coveted post?

The state party leadership might have suggested my name. But I have no idea who suggested my name. Going by my clean image, the central leadership might have given its nod to my candidature. In fact, the central intelligence had contacted me three months ago and had sought my bio-data. The home ministry had also asked me to personally visit New Delhi. I sensed that something good was going to happen to me. 

When did you last meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi?

To be very frank, I was never close to him. I got the first opportunity to meet him in 2004 when he had come to campaign for me in Rairangpur. Though I had met him at various meetings later, I never got the opportunity to directly communicate with him.

Don’t you think that governorship is the end of your political career?
 

I am in politics to serve the people. The new role has given me a new assignment to serve the people. Once I relinquish the post, God will certainly give me another platform to serve the people. My purpose is to serve the people, either though politics or through social service. I have lost a lot in my personal life. My only daughter got married two months ago. I can concentrate on serving the society. Only through the service to society and human beings, I can be closer to the God. This opportunity has given me the platform to serve the people.

You are from Mayurbhanj, a district bordering Jharkhand.  It seems the BJP government has chosen you for the job to contain the influence of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha in Jharkhand and Odisha. What’s your opinion on this?

The aim is not to contain the growth of any political party. My appointment is part of the process to give representation to all sections of the society. 

You must be feeling the absence of your family members when you are at the height of your political career?
I do feel their absence. But I will get into depression if I just keep thinking of that. I have a lot of work to do. 
I have got a bigger platform to serve the people and I will continue to do that.