JOIN USAditi Singh’s plunge into politics surprised many in Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s Lok Sabha constituency of Raebareli.
The daughter of Akhilesh Singh, five-time legislator from the Raebareli City Assembly seat, Aditi’s brush with politics started at an early age. But many had expected the MBA graduate from a US-based university to work in the corporate sector and down settle in a metro city.
Akhilesh, who was earlier with the Congress and now a sitting independent MLA, faces several cases of murder, extortion and attempt to murder. He had won the Assembly election from the Raebareli Sadar seat when he was lodged in jail.
An ageing Akhilesh now seems to be grooming Aditi, who is in the fray from her father’s seat, but on a Congress ticket. “It (contesting the poll) is my decision. I did get some good offers from reputed companies after completing my MBA from USA, but I decided to return to India to be with my father,” Aditi said.
Her father being termed a don does not bother Aditi. After all, on many occasions, the cases against politicians, especially the successful ones, may be politically motivated, she said.
Akhilesh may be Aditi’s inspiration, but her role model is none other than Congress star campaigner Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
“I am very impressed with Priyankaji,” she told DH. On why she opted to join the Congress when she could have won from here as an independent nominee also, Aditi said that she chose the grand old party as it was the only “secular” party in the country.
For Aditi, politics offers a “great opportunity” to serve the people. “It is good that the young generation is evincing interest in politics. For me, it is a means to serve the people,” Aditi said.