Balasore: While the BJP’s landslide victory in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections has become a talking point across the country, residents of Balasore district are happy that one of their daughters Lina Tiwary has scored a victory in the Hindi heartland by winning on a ticket of Apna Dal (S), a regional party in UP which is in an alliance with the BJP.
Lina, 45, born and brought up in Balasore, shifted to Uttar Pradesh after her marriage and has now become a lawmaker in India’s largest Vidhan Sabha by trouncing incumbent legislator and Samajwadi Party member Shraddha Yadav by a margin of 11,350 votes in Mariyahu constituency.
Back home in Balasore, news of Lina’s success was celebrated by Lina’s relatives and friends.
About 60 years ago, Lina’s father Jagdish Prasad Tiwary settled in Motiganj area in Balasore and ran a small business. Lina, born in 1972, did her schooling from Radhakrushna Hindi Vidyalaya before pursuing her higher studies from Kuntala Kumari Sabat Mahavidyalaya.
Lina later married Pawan Kumar Tiwary, a businessman from Jounpur of Uttar Pradesh. After her marriage, she did her PhD and was associated with a number of cultural outfits there. She finally got a ticket from regional party Apna Dal (S) and was elected from Mariyahu constituency.
Lina’s elder brother Dr Nagendranath Tiwary is as a homoeopathic doctor at Motiganj while another brother Jogendranath Tiwary is a lawyer in Balasore.
”Lina often visits Balasore. She grew up rooted in Oriya culture and is an Oriya woman at heart,” her brother Nagendranath said.
Speaking to this correspondent in Oriya, Lina said, “I did my PhD in Ancient Indian History from Poorvanchal University and served as principal of Mariyahu Girls’ School. Late Rajkishore Tiwary, brother of my father-in-law, was an MLA. I joined politics just a few months ago after being encouraged by Anupriya Patel, president of Apna Dal (S).”
“My priorities will be education, road connectivity, and electricity. I will also love to play a role in the development of Balasore, if I get a chance,” Lina said. PNN