``I was never comfortable as a socialite. It is only now that I feel complete. The feeling is similar to delivering children,'' she says, talking about her new identity as a wannabe politician.

She goes on to describe how it all happened: ``My husband (Akbar Dumpy Ahmed) had gone to campaign for the candidate already chosen for the seat when the people from the zila went up to Bahenji (Mayawati) and said since there was such a great response from the Dalits and the Muslims, why not give a ticket to Bhabhiji (Naina),'' she says. Ahmed is contesting from Azamgarh.

She jokingly adds that if she had not met Ahmed she would have met someother bachelor in politics. ``Maybe, Vajpayee,'' she says coyly.

Naina is convinced it could have been no other place other than Nainital. ``My name is Naina. I think it was just pre-ordained that I contest from Nainital. Also, my two children were conceived there!'' she says.

Originally from Karnataka, Naina studied in Mumbai, and first visited Nainital 10 years ago when she met Ahmed. Ahmed has ancestral property in the Kiccha region. ``I fell in love with the place after the first time I went there,'' she says.

But now, she believes, people expect her to promise bijli and paani. ``If there is none of this in Delhi, how can I promise it there? How about keeping Nainital clean?''

Nainital has been second home for her. ``Even when I was just looking after my kids in the last decade I was doing my business which kept me for a long time in Nainital,'' she explained. She runs the Corbett Riverside resort, originally the family's summer home.

``I was doing my bit by hiring locals there. Maybe I don'thire thousands there but at least this is a small beginning towards encouraging the locals,'' she says.

She is at pains to point out that she understands these issues because she has studied economics and commerce and even done an year of law at Advani Law College in Mumbai.

She is all for a referendum in Udham Singh Nagar, a district which does not want to be part of Uttarakhand. ``If they don't want to be included then why should anybody force them?''

Why did she chose the BSP? ``I had a natural tendency to do my bit for the people of the less-privileged caste (a word she hates).'' And, of course, she is very impressed with Bahenji and her cause to uplift the dalits and the minorities.

Seemingly very contented with tending her home and hearth and looking after her two kids, why did she need to jump into the hurly-burly of politics? Because she belongs to that group of the elite which feels guilty about the underdog and wants to do something concrete about them; not just criticise them in thedrawing room.

``I know this sounds idealistic and very filmi. But this is the truth,'' she says. ``Also, there is a time and place for everything. This is the time for me to join politics.'' But, is she not fazed by heavy-weight opponents like N.D. Tewari and K.C. Pant. ``I would feel insecure if they were not around. There is some ego involved in contesting this kind of battle,'' she says. All set to kick off her campaign on August 18, Naina now prepares herself mentally by reading up a collected volume of great speeches.