India (Commonwealth Union)_ The Indian Parliament passed the historic Women’s Reservation Bill, also known as the Nari Shakti Vandan Abhiniyam, in September 2023, which advocated for the reservation of one-third of legislative seats for women. However, the bill’s implementation depends on two critical processes: census and delimitation, both of which have been overdue and are unlikely to occur before 2029. Despite widespread support from major political parties, except for AIMIM, for increasing women’s representation, the number of women candidates fielded by parties for Lok Sabha elections remains relatively low.
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During the state assembly elections last year and the ongoing general elections, women have been a central focus of political parties. Parties have made pledges such as free public transport, employment opportunities, free cylinders, and 200 units of free electricity, targeting women, who are often categorized as the ‘world’s poor’ by the United Nations. This year’s elections will witness the participation of over 85 lakh first-time women voters. However, the major question arises: how many women candidates have been nominated by the top political parties like BJP, Congress, and TMC for the Lok Sabha elections?
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Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced a list of 267 candidates so far, with 42 of them being women, constituting 6.3 percent of the total. Some notable female candidates include:
Bansuri Swaraj: The daughter of the late Sushma Swaraj is one of the candidates of BJP and is contesting her first Lok Sabha election from New Delhi. She is an advocate with more than 15 years of experience in the legal profession.
Shobha Karandlaje: Union Minister of State and Vice President of Bharatiya Janata Party, Karnataka, Shobha Karandlaje has been nominated from Bangalore North. She previously represented the Udupi Chikmagalur constituency for a decade.
Smriti Irani: The Minister of Women and Child Development is contesting from Amethi once again, following her victory in the 2019 elections against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
The Congress party
The Congress party has announced 82 candidates, out of which six are women, accounting for 12 percent of the total. Notable female candidates include:
Jyotsna Mahant: She is a women candidate of Congress contesting from the Korba Lok Sabha seat in Chhattisgarh facing BJP nominee Saroj Pandey. Previously, she won from this constituency in 2009 and 2019.
Geetha Shivarajkumar: Contesting from the Shivamogga seat in Karnataka, she is the daughter of late S Bangarappa and wife of Kannada film star Shivarajkumar.
Ramya Haridas: Representing the Alathur constituency in Kerala, she is the second Dalit women MP from the state.
Trinamool Congress (TMC)
Trinamool Congress (TMC) has announced 42 candidates for West Bengal, with 12 of them being women, constituting 3.5 percent of the total. Prominent female candidates include:
Mahua Moitra: Supported by the party, she is contesting from the Krishnanagar seat, which she also won in 2019.
Sujata Mondal Khan: Nominated from the Bishnupur seat, she is contesting against her ex-husband and sitting BJP MP Saumitra Khan.
June Malia: Contesting from the Medinipur constituency, she is one of the three actors included in the candidates’ list by TMC. She was a former MLA in 2021.
