Parties eye women voters in Gujarat elections

While states like West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh have women candidates at the helms of their politics, Gujarat seems unwilling to elect women candidates to its Legislative Assembly. In 2007, 88 women candidates were in electoral fray, however, only 16 managed to win the election. According to data available with the Election Commission, women candidates don't fare well in the state's polity.

To woo women voters in the upcoming elections, state government has already passed Women Reservation Bill in the assembly to fecilitate 33 per cent reservations. The Congress-led Opposition has also geared up to appeal the women voters for support.

However, their main worry remains the statistics that present a shoddy picture of gender participation in the political history of the state. Of the total number of women who contested assembly elections since Gujarat’s separation from Mumbai state, more than 50% lost their security deposit.

In 2007, out of total 88 women candidates in fray, only 16 managed to make the mark. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party fielded 22 women candidates and the Opposition Congress gave tickets to only 14 women in 182-member assembly. Only 15 BJP candidates and 1 Congress candidate managed to win their seats. The remaining women candidates lost their security deposits.

The incumbent Chief Minister Narendra Modi seems to be trying to reverse the trend. He organised 'Mahila Utkarsh Mela' across the state to pitch for support from women voters. In response to his strategy, the Congress also promised to launch “Ghar nu Ghar Yojna” to appeal the women voters in the state.

Sonal Patel, president, Gujarat Pradesh Mahila Congress said, “A woman candidate in Gujarat has to fight two battles — one against her political rivals and the other at home against the opposition of her family and relatives. Woman in Gujarat politics, irrespective of the party to which she may belong, is unable to use all the resources available to her. A woman is never involved in the decision-making process in the state’s politics. Her involvement is never taken seriously by any political party. In such a situation, it is difficult for her to contest and win elections.”

Jayshree Patel, president, Mahila Morcha, BJP said, “Political parties don't field women candidates even when the latter want to bring a positive change to the society.Number of women candidates fielded by political parties depends partly on their ideology and partly on their calculation.”

Barringfirst two assembly elections held in 1962 and 1967, percentage of women candidates winning elections is less than 50 per cent. In 2007, 53 out of total 88 women candidates lost their deposits. In 1995, 89 per cent women candidates lost elections and deposits.

What remians to be seen is the number of women candidates the two mainstream parties would befielding in the upcoming Assembly elections. It'sshocking to know that only 5 per cent women participate in the electoral process in the state.