Highest number of women MLAs in UP since Independence

The BJP had given the highest number of tickets to women. Of 43 women candidates who were given tickets by the Bharatiya Janata Party, 32 won the election.

Lucknow, March 13: The 17th Uttar Pradesh legislative assembly will have a record 38 women MLAs. This is a record for UP since 1947. All political parties put together only 96 tickets were given to women candidates.

The BJP had given the highest number of tickets to women. Of 43 women candidates who were given tickets by the Bharatiya Janata Party, 32 won the election. The Bahujan Samaj Party and the Congress have two women MLAs each while, the Samajwadi Party and the Apna Dal have one woman MLA each.

According to Election Commission records in the first assembly election held in UP after independence 20 women were elected. The number of women MLAs in UP has been fluctuating and in 1991 there were just 10 women MLA in the assembly as against 31 in 1985. In 1989 the number of women MLA in UP assembly was 18.

In 2007, however, UP assembly had only three women MLAs. In 2012 however the number reached to 35 and in 2017 the number has gone up even further high. This may not be a reason for celebration as UP assembly has witnessed huge fluctuations in past elections.

In UP which has presently 403 MLA it is a trend amongst political parties to give very tickets to women candidates. The BSP in 2017 had fielded only 20 women candidates whereas, in 2012 it had given tickets to 33 women. The SP this time had given tickets to 33 women candidates and the Congress had given out of its 120 seats fielded only 11 candidates.

During the 2012 election the SP had 34 women candidates of whom 22 had won. In 2017 however, the SP fielded 42 women candidates of which only seven could win.

The BJP had given tickets to only 43 women candidates but of them 32 won as the got big help from the massive mandate the BJP got and the women candidates got elected with comfortable margins.

OneIndia News