KOCHI: Gomathi Augustine, leader of Pembilai Orumai, the women’s group formed to challenge dominance of tea companies in Munnar, contested and won from the Nallathanni division of the Devikulam Taluk in the LSG polls.
Gomathi will be one among the 55 per cent of women who will decide and make policies in the three tier governance system in the state -- a first in the country.
Though accurate data on the number of women elected to the local bodies is yet to be compiled, a rough estimation indicates that women will outnumber men in the elected representatives in the local bodies.
As per the official figures, more women than men entered the fray for the local body elections - 38,268 women candidates as compared to 37,281 men. “Among the women candidates specific details of how many have won is yet to be compiled. But not less than 55 per cent of the winners are women,” state election commissioner K Sasidharan Nair told ‘Express’.
Apart from this, political parties fielded women candidates in general seats as well. It was in the local bodies which have total strength of single digit women candidates had outnumbered men to go with the 50 per cent reservation for women. “Given the figure the total number of women in total elected to the local bodies will be substantial,” added the commissioner.
“It is a happy news that the women elect are more in number. Women should realise that this number is their strength and should work with that in mind,” said academic, writer and social critic J Devika.
State Kudumbashree Mission, the defining movement of women uprising in Kerala, had fielded 14,000 candidates. “We are waiting for data on how many of them have won,” said Kudumbashree director N K Jaya.