Rajasthan Assembly Election 2018: ‘Days of kings, queens are over, this is democracy’

Gulnaz Guddu is the Congress candidtate from the Ladpura assembly constituency in Rajasthan which goes to the poll on December 7. She is the wife of Naimuddin Guddu who contested as a party candidate from Ladpura in the last two polls but lost. Guddu is contesting against BJP’s Kalapana Devi, a former royal. Speaking to HT, she said though Ladpura has had a BJP MLA for the last 15 years, but there is no development in the area.

Why did you decide to join politics and contest polls?

My husband has remained a Congress candidate from Ladpura on a couple of occasions, in which our family also supported him and got involved. Politics is in the blood of our family; this prompted me to contest polls.

Is being wife of a politician-husband your only qualification for getting a Congress ticket or do you have experience in politics?

No, I myself is a politician. I have contested polls to Asia’s biggest krishi mandi in Kota. I served as the mandi director after winning the polls.

How do you see your contest with a member of the erstwhile royal family of Kota?

The days of kings and queens are over and this is the time of democracy, so it does not matter who is contesting against me. People are with us not with the BJP candidate.

Are you feeling intimidated when compared to the stature of the scion of former royal family?

I am not intimidated by anyone since people are with me. In democracy, people chose candidates who stay among them instead of living in forts and palaces.

What will be your poll issues?

Ladpura has a BJP MLA for the last 15 years but there is no development in the area. I know the problems of people, women and youngsters; if elected, I will solve them. I will carry out development and ensure to people basic infrastructural facilities and amenities, including drinking water and roads.

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