New Delhi: Bollywood star Jayaprada, who sprang a surprise by becoming Samajwadi Party (SP) candidate from Rampur Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh, is undeterred by the challenge ahead and asserts that she is "no lame-duck candidate".

"People are my strength and people are my power," said the film star, who is seeking election from the country's highest Muslim-dominated constituency outside Kashmir and in which she is pitted against incumbent Begum Noor Bano of the Congress and former MP Rajendra Sharma of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Despite hailing from faraway Rajamundry in Andhra Pradesh, she is confident of making it, insisting that she is "no run-of-the-mill" candidate and that her humble beginnings will stand her in good stead.

Offsetting the argument of being an outsider in a State dominated by caste and religious considerations and with a royal in the fray, Jayaprada said, "I want to know they have been in power for so many years, but the improvement is still not up to the mark."

Electricity, roads and water situation is very poor there besides the problem of education, especially for women and the girl child, she said, outlining the issues she plans to concentrate on.

Not relying on her reel-image for becoming a real MP, she said she would conduct door-to-door campaign and meetings in Rampur as also address rallies in key places like Allahabad, Lucknow, Agra and Banaras for the party.

"I have not yet filed my nomination. We have to see the proper time and moment," said Jayaprada adding lightly, "For us 'muhurat' is very important."

She is scheduled to go to Rampur on April 6 and "will stay there till the elections," said Jayaprada, who is now working on dance ballet "Amrapalli" for starting a care-home for destitute women in Rampur.

"20 per cent of the proceeds from the ballet will go to that centre," she said, adding the rest would be spent on the maintenance and on organising the programme of the dance troupe.

Pointing to her middle-class background and down-to-earth attitude as her "strengths", she said she had the experience of working on gender issues and problems as a Rajya Sabha member of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP).

"I can identify myself with the common people and I know their problems," she said, observing that she had to "work her way up from Rajamundry to Bollywood and then to Rajya Sabha".

"People are my strength and people are my power," she said, expressing confidence that her perseverance and sincerity would assure success for her in the polls as in filmdom.

But why Samajwadi Party and a faraway place like Rampur? "No one wants to leave the place one belongs to, circumstances forced me to join SP," says the embittered actress who was denied a Rajya Sabha renomination by TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu.

"I do not have ego, but I have self-respect...I could not adjust to the treatment they gave me...you could feel the body language, there was no involvement in party activities," said the film star without going into details.

"I worked hard, I sacrificed my career. I wanted to impress the leader (Naidu) but I realised they were not acknowledging or appreciating my contribution," Jayaprada said.

Asked about the "break" in SP, she said she came to know party leaders Amar Singh and "Netaji" - party president Mulayam Singh - during her stint in Rajya Sabha.

"At that time they liked me and had offered me to seek renomination on their party ticket," she said, adding that she spoke to the TDP leader but he was not encouraging.

"So it was both ways (joining SP)," said the actress, claiming that she wanted complete commitment and involvement in party activities and is optimistic that things would not sour this time.

"But I will not quit films," says the Bollywood star whose new film 'Khakee' has received wide acclaim.

"I was away from the film world for six years and after a struggle of one and a half years I have now got four films," she said. "I can do both. I will continue with my acting profession while serving the people."

Among the four new films she is working on are, Raj Kumar Santoshi's 'Sipahi' with Ajay Devgan and Akshay Khanna, 'Prasanjeet', which might feature Anil Kapoor opposite her and another by N Chandra with the 'Big B' and Akshay Khanna.

But for now it is the "battle of Rampur" that she is preparing herself for.