Karnataka Elections 2023: Can Priyanka Gandhi woo women voters?

Priyanka Gandhi's visit to Bengaluru has gained more significance among the women workers in the Grand Old Party.

Bengaluru, Jan 16: After the 'Ladki Hoon, Lad Sakthi Hoon' campaign, the Congress in Karnataka is making a serious bid to woo women voters in Karnataka, launching a programme called 'Na Nayaki' (I'm a leader) in all constituencies of the State.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi, the face of 'Ladki Hoon' campaign in Uttar Pradesh, inaugurated the 'Na Nayaki' campaign to woo woman voters, who constitute over 2.5 crore, or 50 per cent of the total voters.

She said that Rs 24,000 a year would be directly credited to their bank accounts under "Gruha Lakshmi Yojana", an "unconditional universal basic income". That means, a sum of Rs 2,000 a month will be given to every woman head of households if Congress is voted to power in the State.

'Gruha Lakshmi Yojana' is an attempt of the Congress party to share the "burden of the exorbitant" LPG prices and the "costly daily expenses" that a woman has to bear.

The Congress wants every woman of the State to be empowered and capable of standing on her own feet and also taking care of her children. The party wants to provide financial independence to each woman of Karnataka. More than 1.5 crore women would benefit from this scheme.

Priyanka to woo women

Priyanka Gandhi's visit to Bengaluru has gained more significance among the women workers in the Grand Old Party. This is her first visit to poll-bound Karnataka in 2023.

Through this campaign, Congress is making an attempt to reach out to women from all sectors, right from the panchayat level farmer leaders, Dalit leaders, panchayat members, religious leaders, Asha workers and many more.

The party is determined to campaign in each constituency, interact with women from these regions them learn what they need, their demands and challenges. This is an attempt to get their voice in our manifesto.

When ladki hoon, lad sakti hoon fell flat

In 2019, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was roped in to re-establish the Congress in Uttar Pradesh, a politically decisive state.

At that time, the Congress' flagship poll cry ladki hoon, lad sakti hoon (I am a woman, I can fight) was born. Songs were made, and marathons were run, but the Congress' performance was catastrophically disastrous.

The grand old party won just two seats out of 403.