KK Shailaja, the LDF candidate in Vadakara, spoke to Kerala Kaumudi on the occasion of International Women's Day.

Childhood experience?
When I was born, my grandmother was leading the family. There was my mother and her younger sisters. My uncle was small then. The family was represented by women. However, the general perception that was prevalent at that time was there in our house as well. Very little food was prepared at home. A large portion of the food goes to male members. My mother and her younger sisters would eat whatever was left after giving food to the male members of the family.

Then and now?
A lot has changed today. Today, both men and women are able to go to work and earn wages. Women have come out of kitchens. We need to check whether our attitude has changed.

Women who influenced you?
The first woman who influenced me was my grandmother. Then it was Gauriyamma. People like Brinda Karat and Subhashini Ali also influenced me a lot.

Opponents are saying that you are being sidelined by the party
That is a false claim. The party is not belittling me by deciding that my presence should be there in the Parliament of India. The party asked me to contest to utilize the possibilities of the Parliament.

Aren't there people who feel bad about going to the Lok Sabha?
I worked to the best of my ability when I served as a minister. They should allow me to go to the new area. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is working very smartly to develop modern Kerala. I couldn't even imagine myself in that position.

Your expectations of success
The situation is very favourable here. Left Democratic Front will win in Vadakara.

Will the elections reflect the verdict in the TP case?

Assembly elections were held after the TP case. What happened was a sad thing that should not have happened. It does not seem that such cases will be discussed in the elections.