HYDERABAD, January 30: Inspite of the initial brouhaha by all parties about empowering women by granting them one-third reservation in Parliament and legislative assemblies, women are being given a raw deal by all the political parties in the state.The ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are fielding two women candidates each and the principal opposition party Congress has nominated three.
The Central Election Committee of the Congress had earlier finalised the candidature of Magunta Parvatamma, member of the dissolved House, for Ongole. She, however, refused to contest, citing personal reasons.
Though women voters constitute more than their male counterparts in about 15 of 23 districts and 28 of 42 constituencies, Andhra Pradesh could send only three women from its 42 parliamentary constituencies to the 11th Lok Sabha. Interestingly in three districts, Srikakulam, Nizamabad and Vijayawada, women outnumber men by almost 50,000 votes.
During the 1996 elections, fourwomen candidates contested from the Congress side and only Parvatamma and Lakshmi could make it to the Lok Sabha.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
