Elections 2014: Raw deal to Congress women

Coimbatore: Congress may have pushed for 33 per cent women’s quota Bill in Parliament. But, on the poll battle ground, the party has fielded just two women in Tamil Nadu.

The former Congress MLA and All India Mahila Congress vice-president S. Maheswari, too could not get a ticket to contest from Pollachi Lok Sabha seat. She was camping in Delhi in a desperate attempt to get a ticket to the Pollachi parliamentary election for a few days, but has returned empty-handed now.

“Maheswari was chosen by the screening committee for the Pollachi parliamentary constituency. But in the final list, her name did not figure. It remains a mystery how the screening committee is being overlooked,” said a senior Congress leader.

Of the 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu, only two women have been given tickets. That’s just a pathetic five per cent.  In Tiruchy, it is Charubala Thondaiman and in Karur, it is Jothimani.

“Women are being continuously sidelined in the party. If the party decides on merits, the Pollachi candidate will be changed,” said a Congress functionary.

When Rahul Gandhi was clamouring for 50 per cent reservation for women, they have not been given even 10 per cent, Congress cadre said. “I call it a betrayal of women in the party,” said the functionary, while expressing anger over some influential men who were favouring their chosen men.

“I was hoping for it till a day ago, but I do not know now what the turn of events will be,” said Maheshwari, when contacted. However, rival factions in the Congress indicated that if Maheshwari was given a seat in Pollachi, it could appear to people as if only the Naidu community is being favoured in the region by Congress.

For, the Coimbatore seat has been allotted to former Union minister R. Prabhu, who is also a Naidu. “We do not want to give that impression, which is why, the present candidate has been given a ticket to contest,” said a senior functionary.