Jaitly met the politician George Fernandes when her husband started working for him. On Fernandes' request, she joined the Socialist Trade Union. After the 1984 Sikh riots, she became active in politics; she calls Fernandes and Madhu Limaye mentors. In the same year, she joined the Janata Party. It split to form the Janta Dal and later, she and Fernandes formed the Samata Party. She and Ashok divorced later and she says her active role in politics was the main reason. For more than 25 years, Fernandes has remained her partner.