HYDERABAD: With all three major political parties allotting ticket to several women candidates, one question on everyone’s mind is how many of them will make it to the Assembly after the upcoming elections compared to the two previous polls?
In the 2014 elections, as many as nine women were elected as legislators — Padma Devender Reddy, Ajmeera Rekha Naik, Kova Lakshmi, Konda Surekha, Bodige Sobha and Gongidi Sunita Reddy of the BRS, and Geetha Reddy, DK Aruna and Padmavathi Reddy of the Congress. In 2018, however, that number dropped to six with Sabitha Indra Reddy, Dansari Anasuya alias Seethakka, Banoth Haripriya, Ajmira Rekha Naik, Gongidi Sunitha Reddy and Padma Devender Reddy making it to the Assembly.
This time around, the parties have allocated a significant number of ticket to women leaders. The BRS renominated sitting MLA Sabitha Indra Reddy, Gongidi Sunitha Reddy, Haripriya and Padma Devender Reddy. It also allotted tickets to former MLAs and their kin like Kova Lakshmi, Sunita Laxma Reddy, Bade Nagajyothi and G Lasya Nandita.
The Congress is also fielding sitting and former MLAs and they include Seethakka, Padmavathi Reddy, Konda Surekha, Sunita Rao, Singapuram Indira, P Vijaya Reddy, M Yeswasini Reddy, Chittem Parnika Reddy, G Vennela, Sarita Thirupathaiah and Kota Neelima.
The BJP, on the other hand, has till now picked several women leaders, including Amarajula Sridevi, T Aruna Tara, Dr Boga Sravani, Kandula Sandhya Rani, Bodige Shobha, Rani Rudrama Reddy, Megha Rani, Kankanala Niveditha Reddy, Bhukya Sangeeta, Rao Padma, Chandupatla Keerthi Reddy and Challa Srilatha Reddy. It may accommodate some more women leaders in its final list of candidates.The decision of these major parties to allot tickets to more number of woman leaders raises the hope for an increased representation of women in the State legislature.