Our first priority is law and order

AGNIMITRA PAUL was sworn in as cabinet minister on May 9.

- BY PREMA RAJARAM

The 51-year-old, vocal on atrocities against women, was given two portfolios—women and child development and social welfare, along with municipal affairs.

The combative leader, who has retained her Asansol Dakshin seat, will now leave behind her life as a fashion designer to start “designing the life of people”. The mother to two sons says her immediate concerns are women’s safety, law and order, and the rollout of the Centre’s Ayushman Bharat scheme in Bengal. Excerpts from an interview:

How are you feeling after the win?

I would not say it is a dream come true, because I never dreamt of being part of politics. I joined the BJP because I wanted to work under the leadership of Narendra Modi ji.

I remember the day I had gone to Birbhum to meet Modi ji. I had designed a Modi coat for him. I had told Kailash Vijayvargiya (senior BJP leader) about the coat, but somehow the Special Protection Group wasn’t informed. The 2019 Lok Sabha campaign was on, and the SPG did not allow me in. My whole life as a designer, I was going to red carpets and premiers. This was one month after I had joined the BJP, and not being let in was kind of insulting. Then Kailash ji got me the permission and I gave Modi ji the coat. It was white with red embroidery, and in black thread I had written Kavi Guru’s (Rabindranath Tagore’s) lines: ‘Where the mind is without fear, and the head is held high.’ I think we have achieved that now. Today, Modi ji knows me by name. What more can I ask for?

Q You always wanted to make Asansol proud. How have the people there reacted?