Women woo voters,not contest in Asom courtesy political parties

Guwahati, Apr 12 (UNI) Political parties think nothing of engaging the charms of women to woo voters in Asom but are stingy while giving tickets to them to contest.

This despite the fact that women in Asom have shown more political consciousness than men over the years.

There has been a steady rise in voting percentage of women in the state. In the recently held Assembly polls 74.80 per cent women voted compared to 76.50 percentage male voting.

There was almost three per cent rise in female voting percentage compared to the last Assembly polls in 2001.

Despite such good participation of women in the electoral process, only 68 women contested the polls out of the total 997 candidates.

Political parties in the state have failed to give proportionate nomination to them. This belies their often-trumpeted promise to facilitate 33 per cent representation of women in the democratic policy making bodies.

The parties maintain that they did not have sufficient number of women leaders capable of winning elections for them.

But these political parties were in the rat race to have as many charming and powerful women to campaign for them. From political heavyweights like Ms Sonia Gandhi, Ms Brinda Karat, Ms Sushma Swaraj to silver screen stars like Hema Malini, Jaya Prada, Jaya Bachchan and Smriti Irani, all have hit the campaign trail for various parties.

The ruling Congress that was banking on the charisma of its leader Sonia Gandhi to woo voters in Asom, fielded only 15 women. The BJP that engaged the likes of Sushma Swaraj, Hema Malini and Smriti Irani to boost their prospects nominated only 15 women.

The regional Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), that showcased Jaya Bachchan and Jaya Prada during electioneering, fielded only six women. The AGP (Progressive), led by former chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, fielded just five women. Other smaller parties, including the Nationalist Congress Party, CPI(ML), JD(U) and Assam United Democratic Front put up ten women candidates among themselves.

Besides, 16 women fought the polls as Independents.

UNI XC PL AKP RS1440