First time parliamentarian: Machhalishahr’s Priya vows to work for youth, women

A lucky mascot for her father, Priya is the third among five siblings. She has three sisters and a brother

Priya Saroj, 25, has been elected MP from Machhalishahr Parliamentary seat that her father Toofani Saroj represented from 2009 to 2014.

A victory poster of Priya Saroj in Machhalishahr (HT Photo)

In this election, the first-time Parliamentarian defeated BP Saroj by 35,850 votes. While Priya Saroj got 4,51,292 votes, BP Saroj got 4,15,442 votes. In 2019, BJP’s BP Saroj had won by 181 votes.

A lucky mascot for her father, Priya is the third among five siblings. She has three sisters and a brother.

Born in 1998, Priya completed school at the Air Force Golden Jubilee Institute, New Delhi, BA from Delhi University and LLB from Amity University, Noida. Thereafter, she started practising in the Supreme Court.

After her birth in 1998, the fortunes of her father changed, and he was elected MP from Saidpur parliamentary constituency before delimitation in Ghazipur district. He won the seat in 2004. He was elected MP from Machhalishahr from where Priya has been elected MP for the first time. His blessings and guidance helped Priya understand the nuances of poll politics.

Priya Saroj turned 25 in November last year and was declared SP candidate from Machhalishahr parliamentary seat a few months later. During electioneering, Priya campaigned in villages, scaled dusty lanes, called on women, the elderly and appealed for their blessings.

On the question if she entered politics suddenly, Priya said, “I always played an active role in social activities in college and university during studies. I have grown up in a political environment. In the 2022 elections, my father contested the assembly elections. I looked after the campaigning during the election. So, poll politics is not new to me. I know the people of the area. With the blessings of people, I won the election.

“As an MP, I will work to create employment opportunities for the youths so that they get employment. Simultaneously, I will work for women’s empowerment.”