Officially, most political parties claim that filling the women’s quota seats for the local bodies polls was a breeze.
Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president V.M. Sudheeran argues that the enthusiasm among women was such the party is fielding women even in general seats.
“The excited participation of women means that they will be contesting 60 per cent of seats, against the reserved 50 per cent,” he said.
CPI(M) Central Committee member T.M. Thomas Isaac says the Kudumbasree has emerged as a goldmine for quality candidates, for both the major fronts.
Candidates from that pool would make up about one-third of the total in this election, he added.
“Besides, more than 25 per cent of the women contestants are second-timers, which is proof enough that they won their seats on the strength of their performance and not merely because they have family members who are party cardholders,” according to Mr. Isaac.
Indian Union Muslim League State general secretary K.P.A. Majeed claimed that dearth of women candidates was a non-issue for the party. “The Women’s League and the women’s wing of the Dalit League have been an efficient supply line for candidates,” he said.
An exception was BJP State president V. Muraleedharan, who observed that mere reservation for women cannot effect any significant change, unless Kerala men, who mostly hold on to patriarchal premises, changed too. “But changing a society is beyond the political parties. It calls for new renaissance movements,” he said.
