NABARANGPUR: All the talk about parity in electoral representation notwithstanding, Indian politics remains a men’s world. Seven decades after the Independence, Nabarangpur district has seen only three women who have stormed the male bastion and won the General Elections.The ruling Biju Janata Dal which is campaigning for 33 percent reservation for women in Assemblies and Parliament has not given ticket to any woman candidate to contest Assembly polls in Nabarangpur district in the last 19 years.
It was the firebrand Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister, who set the precedent by picking two young tribal women - Poroma Pujari and Phulamani Santa - as Congress candidates to contest the 1980 polls from Umerkote and Dabugam Assembly constituencies respectively.Poroma and Phulamani not only entered the fray but also emerged winners by defeating Janata Dal candidates. For the first time, the district saw two women legislators.
In 1985, Congress its reposed faith in women candidates. Poroma was renominated but Phulamani was denied ticket as the grand old party chose Bhagavati Pujari to contest from Kodinga Assembly constituency. Poroma retained her Umekote seat and Bhagavati won from Kodinga.However, in 1990 Congress gave ticket only to Poroma for Umerkote seat but she lost. She bounced back in 1995 in 1995 General Elections and won the seat as Congress candidate and repeated her good show in 2000 elections as well.
Elected four times, Poroma was a dominating political figure for more than two decades in the district and became the first woman minister from Nabarangpur district. Belonging to a martyr freedom fighter’s family, she commands respect from locals.
The family legacy continued even after Poroma’s retirement with sister Manjula Majhi entering politics. Manjula went on to be the first woman to be elected president of Zilla Parishad in 2003 and since then, she has been active in political.
She joined BJD is 2017 and is a strong contender for a ticket from Nabarangpur Assembly seat. Will the ruling party walk the talk and Manjula make the cut? It remains to be seen. Currently, she is the vice-chairperson of Tribal Development Council of the district.