THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As the Congress candidate list is set to be finalised in a week, at least one woman candidate each is expected to be in the fray in all districts except Idukki and Kasaragod. In the 2016 assembly elections, the Congress had fielded nine woman leaders, including P K Jayalakshmi and Shanimol Osman.
However, all of them tasted defeat. Shanimol won the Aroor assembly byelection in October 2019.
The woman candidates keep complaining that the party does not give them “winnable” seats. A top KPCC office-bearer told TNIE that this time, more woman leaders are expected to be in the fray with the AICC leadership giving instructions to field women, youth and newcomers, and make winnability the major criterion.
“The party would field the creme la creme of woman leaders. Three candidates have been confirmed. While Shanimol will defend her Aroor seat, Jayalakshmi will contest from Mananthavady and KPCC secretary Jyothi Vijayakumar, who has become Rahul Gandhi’s speech translator, may be fielded from Chengannur or Vattiyoorkavu,” said the office-bearer.
Mahila Congress state chief Lathika Subhash has submitted a list of candidates to KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran, who has scheduled an election committee meeting on Wednesday.
“We have been demanding 20 per cent representation for women and have classified the candidates into A, B and C categories.
The ‘A’ category comprises woman leaders who have been in the party for several decades, ‘B’ includes those who can be fielded in tough seats and ‘C’ comprises leaders who can argue their case well against rival candidates and put up outstanding performance,” said Lathika Subhash, who is expected to contest from Ettumanoor.
Among senior woman leaders, KPCC vice-president Padmaja Venugopal, former KPCC vice-president Laly Vincent, Kollam DCC president Bindu Krishna, KPCC secretaries Ramani P Nair and Ansajitha Russell are expected to be in the fray.