I`m here to win: Meera Sanyal

Her poll symbol shows a batsman hitting a six. Meera H Sanyal, banker and Independent candidate for the Mumbai South Lok Sabha seat, may be a rookie in politics. But she is confident that she will hit her match-winning stroke when Mumbai goes to the polls on April 30. The former chairperson and country head for ABN Amro bank speaks to Sarita Ravindranath on her transition from the corporate world to politics, her vision for Mumbai and why she does not believe she`s on a sticky wicket. Excerpts:
How has your campaign experience been so far?
It's been an energising experience. I've been overwhelmed by the amount of support I've got from people across the country. Whether I go to a party or a meeting, people come up to me and say how much my decision has inspired them to do something about what they feel strongly about.

This campaign is just not about me. It's about an idea whose time has come.

Did you ever think you would get into politics? What prompted you to make the decision?
 I`ve been a banker for 25 years, and politics was never on the agenda. Primarily because the image I had of politics and politicians was so negative. The trigger for me was clearly 26/11. I realised that I could no longer just criticise the system. If I wanted a change, I needed to do something.

Images Copyright: Meera Sanyal. Any unauthorized reproduction is prohibited

Also see: Criminals have no place in politics, says Sachin Pilot

Text: Sarita Ravindranath