Niharika Khondalay, a graduate in social work, is the face of the women’s wing of the Dhangar Samaj Vikas Parishad in Maharashtra and is the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) candidate in the Mumbai North East Lok Sabha constituency. She tells Sweety Adimulam how no party has given a parliamentary ticket to a Dhangar in the last 70 years and how VBA has given her a chance to represent her community in Parliament
How did you get into politics?
I am the women’s wing president of the Dhangar Samaj Vikas Parishad, Maharashtra, and have actively participated in all rallies for aarakshan (reservation) by our community.
Prakash Ambedkar’s Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi is considered the B-team of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). What do you have to say to this?
There is no question of our being the ‘B-team’ of the BJP. The VBA is an umbrella of smaller regional parties representing the weaker sections of society which have been completely ignored so far. In the past 70 years, no single party (BJP, Congress or NCP) had ever thought of fielding a Dhangar candidate for the Lok Sabha, though we are the second largest community in Maharashtra in terms of population. Only Balasaheb Ambedkar (Prakash Ambedkar) has thought of that. I am the first person from my community to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Mumbai North East. My battle is against Congress-NCP and BJP. We do not support BJP.
Why has the party fielded you from Mumbai North East, which has Gujarati voters who are considered to be gamechangers?
First of all, I never imagined I would be contesting the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. I strongly believe the Dhangars liked my work and so Prakash Ambedkar decided to give me this opportunity. Now, I am determined to put up a tough fight. In this constituency, Dhangars number around 1.40 lakh.
What are the challenges you face as a female contender? You have strong opponents…
There are challenges, but I do not consider myself less than anyone. Neither am I worried because I am contesting elections for the first time.
How are you reaching out to voters, especially to the people from your community?
When the first rally was held at Pandharpur for reservation, the response we received was huge. That public gathering gave birth to the VBA. I don’t think I have to convince them to get their votes. Secondly, as for other communities, our party is an umbrella body where all these neglected communities have joined hands. These communities have realised that till date they have been used only as vote banks by these leading political parties. So we will focus on that.
What are the issues you want to take up for the people of this constituency?
In my constituency, the frequently raised issue is that of the dumping grounds. I don’t believe shifting the dumping ground from one place to another is the solution. I want a proper waste management system in place. Another issue is of the Mulund toll naka, which needs to be closed, while government schools and colleges which have been shut down should be reopened so poor children can get education. Also, I want slum redevelopment projects to go faster. I want to abolish manual scavenging. Although the Supreme Court has banned manual scavenging, three labourers were killed last month while cleaning the drains at Mulund Gavanpada.
