From promises of subsidized LPG cylinders to free rides on urban public transport, parties this election season went all out to lure women voters across states. However, a closer look at poll statistics reveals that when it comes to distributing tickets, both the BJP and Congress shy away from fielding women candidates.
According to a report by Hindustan Times, women account for less than 12% of the candidates fielded by both parties across Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Mizoram. This is far behind the target of reserving 33 percent of seats in Lok Sabha and state Assemblies for women as stipulated in the Women Reservation Bill (Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam), passed unanimously by both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha in September.
"With the passage of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam in Parliament, we usher in an era of stronger representation and empowerment for the women of India. This is not merely legislation; it is a tribute to the countless women who have made our nation…" Prime Minister Narendra Modi had posted on X.
Here’s a look at the state-wise representation of women across the five states in the 2023 Assembly elections.
Rajasthan
While Congress had given 28 tickets to women candidates, BJP distributed 20 this year in the 200-member state assembly. The elections were held on November 25. In the 2018 assembly polls, the Congress gave tickets to 27 women candidates, whereas the BJP fielded 23 women.
Madhya Pradesh
The elections to the 230-member Madhya Pradesh assembly were held on November 17. The BJP fielded 28 women and the Congress, 30. In 2018, the corresponding numbers were 24 and 27, respectively.
Chhattisgarh
The elections to the 90-member Chhattisgarh assembly were held in two phases on November 7 and 17. The BJP had announced 14 women candidates and the Congress, 3. According to various reports, roughly 10 percent of contestants were women. Among them, 13 won from their seats.
Telangana
The BJP has announced 14 women candidates, and the Congress has fielded 11 women in the Telangana Assembly election, which was held on November 30. The polling was held for 119 seats. In 2018, 136 women filed their nominations, accounting for only 8 percent of the total 1,782 nominations filed.
Mizoram
Mizoram voted in a single phase on November 7 to elect representatives to 40 constituencies. The Congress fielded two candidates, and the BJP four. The Mizo National Front (MNF), which formed the government, had not fielded a single woman candidate in 2018. Of the 16 women who had contested, all but two had to forfeit their deposits.
A BJP woman leader, on condition of anonymity, told Hindustan Times that women do not get tickets owing to inherent gender biases. “Women are given reservation in panchayat polls, but to date, there is a certain barrier that they cannot cross. In many parts of the country, there still is opposition to women getting lead roles,” she said.
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