I'm going to be talking about the basic needs of the people like strengthening the infrastructure of the city. I'm not going to make very large promises or say I'll make a flyover or things like that... I want to start with addressing the basic needs of the people.

I want to ensure the uplift and rehabilitation of the slum dwellers.

I will be focusing very much on the middle class and addressing their needs. And their needs are very basic. They want to be at peace when they get home. They want their work done promptly. They hope for a one-window approach wherever they go.

I also noticed that our middle class does not even have the awareness of who the local corporator is. They don't know who their MLA [member of legislative assembly] is; some people don't even know who their local MP is. To build that awareness is very important. I want to strengthen the relationship between the people and the local administration.

In the last year, when I was working in the constituency during my father's time, I realised the issues are not too huge; it is just implementing them that is important.

On larger issues, I want to work for women's welfare, especially in the slum areas. I want to open mahila mandals in slum pockets where there will be basic education of the women, where they will learn about civic sense, childcare, health care...

Child and women welfare is important because more that 50 per cent of our children study in municipal schools in Mumbai. My focus would also be to try and ensure that municipal schools are upgraded; health care and municipal hospitals are upgraded.

Disability is another issue that is close to my heart. We have very good laws for the disabled, we have the Disability Act, but again implementation is not there.

There is no access for the disabled. If you have someone who is disabled in your house; there is no way you can bring them out because there is no accessibility. We have already worked with it earlier and I think the issue can be made stronger once I am an MP.

Then, we are talking about the youth. Youth need more of a direction rather than just mobilising them to vote and things like that. I plan to focus more on sports. That was an issue close to my father as well.

When he was sports minister, I think he promoted sports in a big way. He particularly focused on football. That is a cheap sport; anybody can play it. We are hoping to start a sports complex in probably Bandra or Andheri.

We would like to get the youth involved in other activities like helping even with the needy in the slums, in camps. We can mobilise them through colleges.

Also see: 'Apun ka behen ko hi vote deneka'