Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi would be in Madhya Pradesh capital on Monday where he is scheduled to engage in direct consultations with women representatives from across the country as a part of his party’s plans to seek direct feedback from people for their manifesto for the coming general elections.
While talking to mediapersons, All India Mahila Congress president Shobha Oza said, “Gandhi will interact with about 250 women delegates representing various spheres to ensure their point of view is incorporated in the manifesto. He would meet the delegates for two hours during the day-long programme.”
Being organised by the Mahila Congress on the premises of Old Vidhan Sabha ‘Minto Hall,’ the programme would comprise of three sessions on social empowerment, economic empowerment and political empowerment of women. However, it is not clear that in which session Gandhi would take part. Prominent among those taking part in the programme include activist Nandini Azad, actress and social activist Nafisa Ali, former legislator Barkha Singh, activist Shabnam Hashmi, and transgender rights activist laxmi Narayan Tripathi and assistant solicitor general Fauzia Mirza.
Replying to a query, she said reservation for women in elections would be discussed during the programme. She said the Mahila Congress is seeking the passage of the Women's Reservation Bill. Besides, Oza said that new appointments would be made to the post of president of five State units of the Mahila Congress. “A panel of 3-5 women leaders from every state would be shortlisted following consultations with local leaders. Final nomination would be made on the basis of interviews, she said, while replying to media queries.
These states include Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana. Following their appointments, the new presidents are likely to constitute their executive bodies afresh.