June 10th 2024.
Cuttack: Sofia Firdous, a 32-year-old engineering graduate, made history by becoming the first Muslim woman MLA in Odisha. In an interview with PTI, Firdous expressed her joy and gratitude for her victory, which she believes is a message of brotherhood to the entire country. Born into a Muslim family, Firdous was raised in Cuttack, a city that is predominantly Hindu. However, she proudly identifies as an Odia first and foremost.
Firdous was the Congress candidate for the Barabati-Cuttack Assembly seat and won against her nearest opponent from the BJP by a margin of 8,001 votes. When asked about her victory, Firdous attributed it to the people of Cuttack, who she believes value brotherhood above all else. She believes that the people have demonstrated that religion is irrelevant when it comes to matters of development.
For Firdous, religion is simply a means to worship the Supreme Power, an unseen force that unites all individuals, regardless of their faith. She strongly believes that spirituality is essential for everyone, including Hindus, Muslims, Christians, and individuals from any other community. In her opinion, it not only keeps one united, but also gives strength.
Despite being a Muslim, Firdous has many close friends among Hindus who have never treated her differently. She fondly recalls participating in Durga Puja and various other festivals in her childhood, as Cuttack is known as the city of brotherhood. Firdous also holds a degree in engineering and runs a real-estate firm established by her father, who is a popular Congress leader in the city.
When asked about her political role model, Firdous mentions Nandini Satpathy, the first and only female Chief Minister of Odisha who served between 1972 and 1976. Despite having a background in engineering and management, Firdous joined politics because of her father, Mohammed Moquim, a well-known Congress leader in Cuttack. She reveals that she had to enter the field of politics at an early age due to her father's legal entanglement, which prevented him from contesting in the 2024 elections.
Her father was previously elected from the same Assembly seat in 2019 but could not run in the 2024 polls due to his conviction in a corruption case. Firdous stepped in to continue her father's legacy and complete his work in the Barabati-Cuttack Assembly segment. She shares that she had campaigned for her father in the 2019 elections and managed his polls before deciding to run for office herself.
Firdous believes that the people of her constituency have elected her based on her father's previous work and her own profile. She is grateful for their trust and promises to stand by them in all situations. When asked about her father's conviction, Firdous states that he was targeted for political reasons and that the people of Odisha have shown the ruling party its place in this election.
In the recent elections, the BJD, which has been in power for 24 years, was defeated by the BJP. In Firdous's constituency, the BJD came in third place after Congress and BJP. Firdous proudly mentions that even when the Congress only had nine MLAs, they were the ones who raised their voice on many issues inside the Assembly. With 14 MLAs now, she believes that the opposition party will play a significant role in the state's governance.
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