Domestic help to MLA and now Bengal minister: Meet Kalita Majhi
Active in public life for 10 years, she unsuccessfully contested the Ausgram seat in 2021 but wrested it from the TMC five years later
Kalita Majhi is the BJP MLA from Ausgram. From working as a domestic help earning Rs 4,000 a month to taking charge as a minister on Monday, Kalita Majhi’s journey is a remarkable story of determination and political rise. Her elevation reflects the party’s emphasis on promoting grassroots leaders and marks a significant milestone in the life of a woman who once balanced household work with political activism.
Majhi’s victory in the recent Assembly polls stands out as one of the highlights of the BJP’s sweeping win in West Bengal. A domestic help, Kalita, got a second chance when the BJP named her as its candidate in Ausgram in the state’s Purba Bardhaman district. The gamble paid off after the 37-year-old defeated Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate Shyama Prasanna Lohar by 12,535 votes.
“I am very happy, and I am grateful that Prime Minister Narendra Modi kept faith in me. Today, I can gift him this win,” Kalita said, speaking to The Indian Express over the phone. “My main focus will be to work for the development of the backward classes, and to ensure that proper roads and drinking water reach everyone’s homes. I will also work for the development of the youth and the safety and security of women,” she added.
Kalita, who used to work as a domestic help in two houses, is a resident of Majhpukur Para in Ward No 3 of Guskara Municipality. She stays with her husband, Subrata Majhi, a plumber, and her son, who has appeared for his Class 12 exams.
In active politics for more than 10 years now, Kalita’s life changed when the BJP gave her a ticket to contest the 2021 Assembly elections from Ausgram, which is a part of the Bolpur Lok Sabha constituency and a Scheduled Caste reserved seat.
In 2021, TMC candidate Abhedananda Thander won the Ausgram seat with 1,00,392 votes. Kalita came second with 88,577 votes. This time around, Kalita secured 1,07,692 votes.
Kalita said that after her name was announced in the first list of BJP candidates, she took a month off from work to focus on campaigning. “The families in the homes where I have worked for so many years are very happy. They blessed me. They always stood by me whenever I needed them; now, they are very happy for me,” she said.
Being a domestic help has helped her understand the basic issues of the common man and the sufferings of the poor in her constituency, she said, adding that her focus is to build a hospital to help people in her village, who have to travel to the main Burdwan town to get medical facilities. From encouraging the use of solar panels to generate electricity and infrastructure development to generating employment opportunities, Kalita listed a slew of priorities.
“I also want central government schemes to be implemented in West Bengal. All of us have the right to have a secure roof over our heads. I will introduce the PM’s housing scheme and build homes and toilets,” said Kalita.
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