With Rahul Gandhi making a strong pitch for more representation to women in Parliament, Mahila Congress wants to ensure more tickets to them in the Lok Sabha polls.
Mahila Congress chief Shobha Oza told reporters that she has already forwarded names of 30 eligible women leaders to the high command. All the these candidates are new faces. One of the candidates, Mahila Congress has recommended, is for the Naxal-dominated Bastar region in Chhattisgarh.
Oza also said Mahila Congress will send a list of women candidates for all the 545 seats and it is up to the party high command to take a decision.
A better deal for women leaders is expected in view of the fact that Rahul, who is the party Vice President, is now also in charge of the Mahila Congress along with other frontal organisations.
When he was in charge of Youth Congress and NSUI as General Secretary, the two frontal organisations had got sizeable representation.
Ever since Rahul took charge of Mahila Congress, he has been making remarks giving an indication of his increased focus on ensuring larger presentation to women in party organisation as well as government.
A highlight of AICC meeting held here last week was Rahul's remarks that he would like to see women chief ministers in 50 per cent of Congress-ruled states as well in the party organisation in the years to come.
Talking to women panchayat members in Wardha yesterday, he said that they are far ahead from women MPs and MLAs in one aspect -- their representation. He said that while they have 50 per cent reservation in panchayats, those in the assemblies and Parliament do not have even 33 per cent.
Oza, who is also the party spokesperson, said she has sought names of more women leaders from state units of the Mahila Congress so that more and more women could be considered for the Parliamentary polls.
She steered clear of questions on what percentage of women candidates the Mahila Congress was expecting and how much more women candidates the party should field.
Oza said at best the representation of women in Parliament is 11 per cent.
