Priyanka Gandhi had offered 40 per cent seats in UP elections to women; Female leaders of U’khand see hope in Priyanka’s assertion & would press for implementation of the formula in U’khand.
Thursday 21st October, 2021 | Gajendra Singh Negi
The assurance by Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi that the party would give 40 per cent of tickets to women in the Uttar Pradesh (UP) assembly elections has enthused the leaders of fairer gender in Uttarakhand. It is learnt that these leaders and the Women Congress have decided to press for the implementation of UP formula in ticket distribution in Uttarakhand also where assembly elections would be held early next year along with UP and Punjab.
When contacted the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Ganesh Godiyal told The Pioneer that Priyanka Gandhi has given a very good idea about increasing representation of women. He added that taking inspiration from the good sentiment of Gandhi, the Uttarakhand Congress would strive to provide tickets to as many women leaders as possible in the upcoming assembly elections.
Supporting the idea propounded by Priyanka Gandhi the president of Uttarakhand women Congress Sarita Arya said that the women Congress always presents the case of women leaders for party tickets. She said that Congress president Sonia Gandhi is striving for reserving 33 per cent of seats in Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabhas for women. Arya added that the Uttarakhand Congress would try to ensure that more and more deserving women candidates are given party tickets in the assembly elections.
Though women constitute almost 50 per cent of total population of Uttarakhand their representation in politics and the elected bodies is very less. In the current assembly the tenure of which started in 2017 there were only five women representatives (Indira Hridayesh, Mamta Rakesh – Both Congress and Meena Gangola, Rekha Arya and Ritu Khanduri – BJP) in the 70 member house. After the deaths of Shakti Lal Shah and Prakash Pant their wives Munni Devi and Chandra Pant were elected in by elections from Tharali and Pithoragarh respectively. By asserting that the Congress would provide more tickets to women, Priyanka Gandhi has put pressure on BJP and other political parties for increasing the representation of women and giving more tickets to them in the elections.
