How do you think your involvement with electoral politics, life as MP etc, will impact you as a woman, as a mother and as a family person?

I think there are a majority of the women who work and make a home. For me, this would be just like a job. I'm not going to look at myself and say: Oh my god, I am a member of Parliament and I've become this... [laughs] It's a job.

I also want to say that, for me, my priority is my family. It will always remain my family. I don't believe a person can neglect one's family to grow in one's career. I think if you are a good homemaker, only then you can make a good career for yourself.

I know this will be time-consuming. Every job, when you put your heart and soul into it, becomes time-consuming. It is how you manage your time that is important.

What were your best and worst moments in the election process?

More than anything else, it's been an emotional roller coaster for me.

Any woman would know, your pregnancy is not always very easy emotionally. Touch wood, physically I've been fine but emotionally there have been too many ups and downs.

I lost my father in the process. This election thing happened. It was quite an emotional turmoil for me even when I had to decide whether I was going to do this or not.

That's been the only problem -- where you've had your very low days..

How did you deal with the low days?

I used to be very worried about how all this was going to affect my baby. I would hope everything was okay. So many things work on your mind; you pray nothing goes wrong.

It was a horrible, horrible feeling. I've had friends who've gone through terrible times when they were pregnant and I used to just hope and pray that everything was just fine with my baby.

People scare you, you know. When emotionally, you've gone through such hell and you worry about how it might affect your child... But, touch wood, everything has been good and I thank god for that...

What are your personal goals?

My whole agenda now revolves around my baby [laughs].

What's his name?

Not decided as yet. We are thinking about three-four names. What I like, my brother does not like; he likes what I don't like. What my husband likes, I don't like. It's like this whole crazy thing going around. We just need to decide once and for all!

So what do you call him right now?

He's got all various pet names. My husband calls him Muggles and someone calls him Jio. Poor guy [laughs].

How much of a role has your mother played in what you are today?

A very, very big role.

I started my whole thing with my social work with my mom actually. She was the first social worker in my family, even before my dad. After she got married and had us, she had left acting and used to be very much into social work.

She was the founder patron of the Spastics Society Of India. Every time she went there, I would tag along with her. I remember going with her when I was about three years old.

She's been a great influence throughout my life. She was a very strong woman, very forthright, and these are the qualities that influenced us. The values, the straightforwardness, sticking to what you believe in, I think those are important things for us.

And your sister, Namrata?

When my mom died, my sister -- who was 18 or 19 -- began taking care of me and the house and the family; my dad was a working man. My sister really lost out on her teenage life completely. I think we all kind of grew up really fast after my mom's death.

My father was such a fantastic parent. He kept her memory so alive; we did miss her physically, but she was always there. He was that kind of a parent.

He was a single parent, most of his life. My mother passed away when my brother was 20-21, my sister was 18-19 and I was 13. I think my father really just fit that role so beautifully.

He used to attend every school function of ours; he used to do everything. I think your parents really play a very vital role in who you really become when you grow up.

How is she [Namrata] contributing in this particular phase of your life?

She's with my baby. She's once again back to the role of taking care of the whole house.

Will you tell us a little bit about your husband Owen Roncon?

My husband plays a very, very important role. I think I could not have done this without him and his support. He has really been a pillar of strength for me and this election campaign. He taken over such a huge chunk of work from me so that I can get that much time with my baby, with my family.

He's a very simple man. He's more behind the scenes rather than being in the forefront. He has his work. He's taken time off because of the elections so that he get things done for me so I'm not that much stressed out.

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