Bharatiya Janata Party

#GenderEqualityElectionWatch: Election Eve Punjab Report Card

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Women candidate tally

Last update: Feb 2, 2017
Assembly size: 117
Source: http://www.elections.in/punjab
Seats contested Women nominees
S. Akali Dal 94 4
INC 117 11
BJP 23 3
BSP 18 0
AAP 117 9
CPI-ML (Liberation) 8 0
Trinamool Cong 15 2
Punjab Front 15 0
Apna Punjab Party 86 4

Manifestos

We’ve already discussed the Congress manifesto here.

The Shiromani Akali Dal manifesto mentions the enhancement of two existing schemes, the Shagun scheme where the government gifts a poor family a sum of money upon the wedding of a daughter and the Babe Nanake Ladli Beti scheme where families receive a sum upon the birth of a daughter. In addition, under the header ‘Women’ they promise free ‘swing’ machines to all girls/women who pass Class 10, bicycles to graduates and 33% reservation in rural and urban local government institutions including Panchayati Raj and Municipal Bodies. Finally, the highlights list sports training and stadia in every district under the header ‘women’ and promise government jobs to sports medal-winners.

The Aam Aadmi Party has released several manifestos in Punjab, for youth, for farmers and for Dalits, and all three are gender-blind except for a Shagun scheme of their own, mentioned in the farmers’ manifesto. Its final comprehensive manifesto contains a section on ‘women’ which fares better than the other parties’ attempts:

  • “33% reservation for women in jobs. Women employees will preferably be posted in their home district.
  • Salaries of Anganwadi workers/helpers, Asha workers and Mid day meal helpers salaries will be doubled. Women hostels in every district.
  • Special Police wing to crack down on menace of ‘Holiday brides’ and domestic abuse.
  • Suraksha button on every mobile phone with emergency connectivity with Punjab Police via Wi-Fi.
  • Special Fund for women and children of victims of domestic violence and abuse.
  • Money to be adjusted against maintenance granted by courts and will be recovered from husbands or those responsible for paying.
  • 100,000 (one lakh) toilets for women in public spaces. 
  • Swift and effective justice in Crimes Against Women. Fast track courts to be built and made functional.
  • Women employees will be given child care leave and provided crèche facilities at the work place.”

It wasn’t possible to locate a full-text version of the BJP manifesto but the press release everyone carried stated, “On the education front, the manifesto assures making free the studies of girls till Ph.D. level.”

Overall grade

It is impossible to endorse any Punjab political party as being singularly committed to gender equality, but a cursory glance suggests that in terms of nominating women, Congress and AAP lead but AAP’s manifesto indicates that there are more people in AAP thinking about meaningful inclusion than there are in other parties.

Women MPs in 15th Lok Sabha: Jat Poonamben Veljibhai

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Basic Information:

Name: Jat Poonamben Veljibhai

Constituency: Kachch (Gujarat)

Party: Bharatiya Janata Party

Terms in parliament: First term

Age: 37

Contact Information: Plot No -6, Jay Zulelal Society, Bharat Nagar, Gandhidham District, Kachch

Jat Poonamben Veljibhai is the winner from Kachch District. Despite this being her first elections, she beat out 16 other candidates, including three other women, and Danicha Valjibhai Punamchandra of the Indian National Congress.

Women MPs in 15th Lok Sabha: Shrimati Darshana Vikram Jardosh

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Basic Information:

Name: Shrimati Darshana Vikram Jardosh

Constituency: Surat (Gujarat)

Party: Bharatiya Janata Party

Terms in parliament: First term

Age: 58

Contact Information: 10/430 Third Floor, 431, Tasvir Appartment, Panini Bhit Bhagatalao Soni Faliya, Surat.

Darshana Vikram Jardosh contested these Lok Sabha elections as the BJP candidate from Surat constituency of Gujarat. She is Gujarat BJP Mahila Morcha’s General Secretary for past three years. She upstaged Kashiram Rana, former Union Textiles Minister, former Rural Development Minister, and six-time consecutive winning BJP candidate from Surat seat.

Women MPs in 15th Lok Sabha: Patel Jayshreeben Kanubhai

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Basic Information:

Name: Patel Jayshreeben Kanubhai

Constituency: Mahesana (Gujarat)

Party: Bharatiya Janata Party

Terms in parliament: First term

Age: 50

Contact Information: A-14, Green Park, Ahmedabad Highway Road, Palanpur – 1, Dist. Banaskantha, Phone: 02742-256822 (R), M: 94265 15751, 99784 06098

First time contender in the race to the Lower House, Patel Jayshreeben Kanubhai is a Bharatiya Janata Party loyalist, winning from the Mahesana constituency in Gujarat. She is a former Gujarat State Commission for Women chairperson, and state head of the BJP Mahila Morcha.

Women MPs in 15th Lok Sabha: J Shanta

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Basic Information:

Name: J. Shanta

Constituency: Bellary (Karnataka)

Party: Bharatiya Janata Party

Terms in parliament: First term

Age: 35

Contact Information: 2nd Cross, Devinagar, Club Road, Bellary

The lone woman MP from Karnataka, tasted electoral victory in the 15th Lok Sabha elections, deafeating prominent politicians, including Margaret Alva from the Congress, Tejaswini Gowda of Congress, and  Radha Sundaresh of the Communist Party of India (CPI). Altogether 29 women candidates contested for the 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka. Shantha, a homemaker-turned-politician, has indicated that long pending railway projects in the region are to be her priority.

For more details, visit the following links:

Women MPs in 15th Lok Sabha: Rama Devi

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Basic Information:

Name: Rama Devi

Constituency: Sheohar (Bihar)

Party: Bharatiya Janata Party

Terms in parliament: 12,15th parliament

Age: 60

Contact Information: Mohall-Miscout, PO-Motihari, PS-Motihari Nagar,Dist-East Chamapran (Bihari),Motihari

 Wife of widow of slain former minister Brij Bihari Prasad, this mother of five quit primary membership of the RJD criticizing the Chief, Lalu Yadav. She’d earlier won in 1998, primarily due to the support of trading Vaish community, to which she belongs.She raised her voice in support of those who did not get old-age pension and encouraged womenfolk for getting sanctioned money for pregnant women from Government of India. She’s also actively involved in upliftment of the poor women and encouraging them to participate in politics.

 For more details, visit the following links:

Women MPs in 15th Lok Sabha: Bijoya Chakrabarty

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Basic Information:

Name: Bijoya Chakrabarty

Constituency: Guhawati (Assam)

Party: Bharatiya Janata Party

Terms in parliament: 13,15th parliament

Age: 70

Contact Information: AB-14, Pandara Road,
                                        New Delhi-110 003
                                        Tel. (011) 3384650

 An immensely popular politician from Assam, Ms. Bijoya had won from the same constituency in the 13th Lok Sabha elections. She was denied a ticket for the 2004 elections, but has emerged as the winner in the recent elections.An educationist by profession, improving the infrastructure, such as improving the drainage, and water supply is a priority for this former Union Minister of State for Water resources. Intending to focus on the needs and welfare of the women and children in her constituency, she is associated with Children welfare activities specifically in the field of education and health. She has also emphasized the need for a holistic water vision with weightage to gender issues.

For more details, visit the following links:

Women MPs in 15th Lok Sabha: Shrimati Kamla Devi Patle

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Basic Information:

Name: Shrimati Kamla Devi Patle

Constituency: Janjgir Champa (Chattisgarh)

Party: Bharatiya Janata Party

Terms in parliament: First term

Age: 43

 Contact Information: Vill-Beltukari, PO – Khisora, Tah Baloda, District Janjgir Champa

Shrimati Kamla Devi Patle is the newly elected MP from Janjgir Champa constituency in Chattisgarh. One of 12 other candidates she beat out Dr.Shivkumar Dahariya of the Indian National Congress to emerge as the clear front runner. A prominent SC member of the Chattisgarh wing, this is her first elections.

Women MPs in 15th Lok Sabha: Saroj Pandey

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Basic Information:

Name: Saroj Pandey

Constituency: Durg (Chattisgarh)

Party: Bharatiya Janata Party

Terms in parliament: First term

Age: 40

 Contact Information: Jal Parisar, Near Panch Building, Durg, Chhattisgarh. 491001

Saroj Pandey is the National Secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Hailing from a teacher family in Chattisgarh, she has held various party positions at the state level. She was also twice elected as the mayor of Durg. During her tenure as Mayor, Ms. Pandey ushered in a modern feel to the city of Durg, which resulted in the city being voted as the best municipal corporation in Chattisgarh. A popular leader, she has immense support from the women, as well as full support from the BJP. She is also well known for lending a helping hand to the poor.

For more details, visit the following links:

Women MPs in 15th Lok Sabha: Jyoti Dhurve

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Basic Information:

Name: Jyoti Dhurve

Constituency: Betul (Madhya Pradesh)

Party: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)

Terms in parliament: First term

 Age: 43

 Contact Information: Gudgaon Teh Bhainsdehi Dist Baitaul

 In the Betul (SC) Lok Sabha constituency, Jyoti Dhurve of the BJP emerged victorious. The seat, which went to poll as a reserved one for the first time, continues to be dominated by business communities like Khandelwals and Dagas. The BJP won the seat with its more meticulous election management and due to the weak Congress candidate, Ojharam Ivne.