The list of contenders for December 4 polls in the Capital is dominated by male nominees. Two major political parties of the country — the Congress and BJP — never miss an opportunity to express their stand favouring reservation to pave way for women empowerment, have given tickets to only 12 women contestants jointly. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which claims to engineer social change, has also nominated only six female candidates for the elections.
However, the overall scenario (female representation) is not good either. According to the Electoral Office of Delhi, out of 1,180 nominations filed, 156 are women. The maximum number of women candidates, have filed nomination from the New Delhi seat followed by Rajinder Nagar constituency where six women candidates filed nominations.
The Congress chose only six candidates out of 70 seats to contest the Delhi Assembly elections. Apart from Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit from New Delhi, the party has fielded Prof Kiran Walia from Malviya Nagar, Barkha Shukla Singh from RK Puram, sitting MlA Dayanand Chandela’s wife Dhanvantri Chandela from Rajouri Garden, former Delhi University presidents Amrita Dhawan from Tilak Nagar seat and Ragini Nayak from the Janakpuri seat. Dayanand Chandela was denied ticket due to criminal cases; the party preferred to accommodate his wife from Rajouri Garden. Dhawan was a councillor from Vikaspuri Ward. Prof Walia is currently the Minister of Department of Women and Child Welfare and Barkha Shukal Singh is the chairperson of Delhi Commission for Women.
Malviya Nagar is the only seat where women contestants of both main parties will be locked in direct contest. In giving adequate representation, the BJP has performed equally worse. It has given tickets to only four women. Former Mayor Arti Mehra, who is the national secretary of the party, would contest from Malviya Nagar against Prof Kiran Walia; while former Mayor Rajni Abbi, who is also a law professor in the Delhi University, would contest from Timarpur against Congress candidate Surinder Pal Singh Bittu. Delhi BJP’s general secretary Shikha Rai would contest from Kasturba Nagar, where the Congress has fielded Neeraj Basoya, a sitting MlA. Poornima Vidhyarthi, who is a sitting councillor from East Patel Nagar, would contest from Patel Nagar seat against Congress’ Rajesh lilothia, who is also a sitting MlA from the area. Sushila Bagdi would contest from Sultanpur Majra reserved seat.
Strangely, AAP’s workers created storm during the Delhi gang-rape case in December last year, has also not shown any interest to give more tickets to women. AAP has fielded six women candidates for the Assembly polls. It has given tickets to Shazia Ilmi from RK Puram, social worker Farhana Anjum from Ballimaran, Bhavna Gaur from Palam, Bandana Kumari from Shalimar Bagh, Rakhi Birla from Mangolpuri and Veena Anand from Patel Nagar.