▁ ▁Early ▁career ▁and ▁elect oral ▁debut ▁( 1 9 9 0 – 2 0 0 3 ) ▁Sel ja ▁began ▁her ▁political ▁career ▁in ▁the ▁Mah ila ▁Congress ▁becoming ▁its ▁President ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 0 . ▁She ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 0 th ▁Lok ▁Sab ha ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 1 ▁from ▁Sir sa ▁in ▁H ary ana . ▁She ▁was ▁Union ▁Minister ▁of ▁State ▁for ▁Education ▁and ▁Culture ▁in ▁the ▁Nar as im ha ▁R ao - led ▁Congress ▁government . ▁Despite ▁the ▁Congress ▁deb acle ▁in ▁H ary ana ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁she ▁was ▁re - elect ed ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 1 th ▁Lok ▁Sab ha . ▁ ▁Sel ja ▁began ▁act ively ▁particip ating ▁in ▁international ▁con ferences ▁and ▁summ its ▁following ▁her ▁election ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 4 th ▁Lok ▁Sab ha ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 . ▁She ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁G over ning ▁Board ▁of ▁Commonwealth ▁Local ▁Government ▁Forum ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 . ▁She ▁continued ▁to ▁eng age ▁with ▁other ▁such ▁organis ations ▁as ▁the ▁Commonwealth ▁Parliament ary ▁Association ▁and ▁also ▁head ed ▁the ▁Commonwealth ▁Cons ult ative ▁Group ▁on ▁Human ▁S ett lement s . ▁ ▁Ro le ▁under ▁U PA ▁govern ments ▁( 2 0 0 4 – 2 0 1 3 ) ▁ ▁Sel ja ▁also ▁took ▁the ▁o ath ▁as ▁the ▁Union ▁Minister ▁of ▁State ▁( Ind ep endent ▁Char ge ) ▁for ▁H