Women candidates conspicuous by their absence in TS, Rajasthan polls

If there is one thing that stands out in the political landscape of Telangana and Rajasthan, both of which go to the polls on December 7, it is the small number of women candidates in the fray.

In Vasundhra Raje-led Rajasthan, less than 7 per cent of the contestants (189 out of 2,873) are women, while in Telangana, it is even lower at less than 3 per cent it is (51 out of 1,821).

Will women, who constitute nearly 49 per cent of the population, come out in large numbers and show their power through the ballot on Friday in the States where the incumbents — K Chandrasekhar Rao and Vasundhara Raje — are seeking re-election. In several constituencies in Telangana, women voters outnumber men.

There is no dearth of promises to lure women voters in the manifestos of major political parties. They include safety, better health, interest-free loans, doles for single women and providing monetary support for marriage of girls

There has been persistent demand for 30 per cent reservation for women in Parliament,and a demand for the same in State Assemblies, but no positive action has been taken.

Telangana

K Chandrasekhar Rao, CM and Chief of the TRS, has braved criticism of running a government for a near full term, without a single woman in his Cabinet. The highest power he bestowed upon women was the role of a Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, to Padma Devender Reddy, MLA from Medak.

The TRS is fielding just four women candidates now, when six of the nine MLAs in the now-dissolved Assembly were from the party.

On the other hand, the Congress, which has three sitting MLAs, has given 11 out of 99 tickets to women. The neglect in the Grand Old Party is also discernible. The Congress regime in the United Andhra Pradesh saw a maximum six women Cabinet Ministers, including Home Minister, Sabitha Indra Reddy.

The party boasts of the most powerful leader Sonia Gandhi — the UPA Chairperson and former AICC president — and star campaigner Vijayashanthi, a film star and former MP.

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has fielded Nandamuri Suhasini from the NT Rama Rao family in Kukatpally, as its sole woman candidate, out of the 13 seats allocated to it in the Praja Front. The CPI and Telangana Jana Samithi, the other Front partners, also have one each.

The bulk of women contestants are from the BJP and the BSP with 15 and 10 respectively.

Even in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Telangana fielded just one woman out of the 17 contestants. That was Kalvakuntla Kavitha, daughter of K Chandrasekhar Rao from Nizamabad.

Another conspicuous feature of these women contestants and sitting MLAs is they come from either political families, upper castes, with a minuscule from reserved caste backgrounds.

With the population of the youngest State put at 35 million (2011 census), the 17.32 million women population in the State largely remains a vote bank and is turning into a power centre.

Rajasthan

In Rajasthan, there is an increase in women contestants. The 189 women candidates for the 200-member Assembly is its best ever.

In 2013, there were 166 contestants and in 1998 it was 69. The surprise is Raje’s BJP has allotted 23(21) seats, which is lower than the main opposition Congress list of 27 (23), out of 195 it is fighting.

Among the women testing their fortunes is Commonwealth Games gold medal winner in discus throw, Krishna Poonia, Congress. Former Union Minister and Chairperson of the National Women’s Commission, Girija Vyas is another prominent name.

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