ALLAHABAD: “I am happy that now I have reached the target set by my mother”, was the instant reaction of BJP candidate from Allahabad Rita Bahuguna Joshi who finally broke the jinx by winning the Lok Sabha elections from the seat which was once represented by her father, late HN Bahuguna.

“Honestly saying, I had given up the idea of being a MP way back in 2010 and slowly settled down but when the party asked me to contest from my home town in this election, it was an honour for me and now the jinx has been broken”, says Joshi, smiling and thanking maa durga, her deity.

While talking to TOI after her win, the veteran politician acknowledged that this election was a tough one given the combined force of the gathbandhan. “We took this elections very seriously and visited more than 325 villages and saw that the schemes and policies have percolated among the masses, my father's legacy was the added advantage which contributed to my win,” she said.

On being asked that was this the win of the party of Modi as leader, she added, “Elections has always been fought on the leadership, be it Nehru, Indira, VP Singh and now Modi wherein the party cadre stands behind the leader and today the opposition do not have a national leader like Modi.”

“2014 was the election of hope and this is the election of confidence”, said Joshi, who is currently minister of tourism in the Yogi cabinet.

Talking of her priorities as the MP of the seat, she said, “Providing potable water in the trans-Yamuna villages and reviving the Naini industrial belt by diverting the funds for investment in UP towards Naini would be among the foremost priorities. Moreover, the Ganga expressway would be the game changer for the development of this region”.

She also said that efforts would be expedited to shift the army depot presently located inside Akbar fort to some other place.

Discussing the win on personal ground she said, “My mother always challenged me to copy what she had achieved and also what she wanted to do. Teaching was her passion which I did for her and now this win would make her happy as I have touched the target set by her.”

