Political parties in Punjab are still not fair to the fair sex. Just about seven percent women candidates are in fray for the February 4 elections in Punjab.
Out of the total 1145 candidates in fray for 117 assembly segments, just 81 are females, including 32 contesting as independents. If that is not enough! About 56 percent of the assembly segments, that is 65 out of total 117 seats, do not have even a single female candidate.
Punjab’s four major political parties — Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) — have, in fact, fielded only 26 women candidates against 117 seats — just 7.40 per cent.
At the time when all these parties are pitching for 33 per cent reservation for the womenfolk, there meagre share in ticket allocation speaks volume about their efforts towards the same.
Notably, a total of 336 female candidates had filed their nominations, out of which a whopping 217 faced rejections while 38 withdrew their claims — leaving only 81 in electoral race.
Maximum number of female candidates were fielded by the Congress party, currently headed by a female itself, Sonia Gandhi. Out of 117 candidates, the grand old party has given tickets to its 11 women leaders — with a percentage of 9.40 — far beyond the 33 per cent mark.
Owing to ‘one family, one ticket rule’, its four female leaders — Preneet Kaur, Charanjit Kaur Bajwa, Guriqbal Kaur and Karanjit Kaur Chowdhry — vacated their seats or gave up their claims on the ticket for the male members of their family, other than former BJP leader Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu.
At the same time, the party retained its faith on five sitting legislators including Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Karan Kaur Brar, Harchand Kaur, Aruna Chaudhary, and Rajwinder Kaur Bhagike — former SAD MlA who joined Congress ahead polls.
Besides, the party has given tickets to singer Satwinder Bitti, Satkar Kaur, Razia Sultana, Ranjit Kaur Bhatti, Dr Manju Bansal, and student leader Daman Thind Bajwa.
Following close behind is AAP which has fielded nine female candidates at the rate of 8.04 per cent, including its women wing head Baljinder Kaur, and scion of Tohra family Kuldeep Kaur Tohra.
AAP is contesting on 112 seats in alliance with the lok Insaaf Party led by ludhiana’s Bains brothers, which has not given any ticket to the women.
The SAD-BJP combine has laid its bet on total seven female candidates, with the saffron party giving tickets to two of its sitting MlAs out of 23 seats of its share — 8.70 per cent, and SAD fielding just five female contestants against 94 seats it contests — 5.34 per cent.
While BJP’s sitting MlAs Seema Kumari and Sukhjit Kaur Sahi will be defending their seats this elections, SAD has fielded former minister Dr Upinderjit Kaur, sitting MlAs — Mohinder Kaur Josh, Harpreet Kaur Mukhmailpur, and Vaninder Kaur loomba, besides Amarjit Kaur Sahoke.
SAD’s senior leader and sitting MlA from Bholath Bibi Jagir Kaur has surrendered her seat in favour of her son-in-law.
Interestingly, none of these four major players has fielded any female candidate in eight districts — Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Fatehgarh Sahib, Roopnagar, Faridkot, and Fazilka. Highest female participation is seen in Patiala district wherein eight assembly segments have five women candidates, including three from AAP and two from SAD.
Ghanaur Assembly segment has highest four female candidates, including Anu Randhawa from AAP, Harpreet Kaur Mukhmailpur from SAD, and two independents — Anupinder Kaur Sandhu and Surinder Kaur.