By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The All India Mahila Congress wants to field more women contestants in the upcoming assembly election and at the same time made it clear ‘winnability’ factor will determine number of women candidates.
Addressing newsmen here on Tuesday, the All India Mahila Congress (AIMC) secretary (in-charge Meghalaya) Poonam Rani Bhatia said the party was looking forward to have at least 30 women MLAs in Meghalaya Assembly after 2013 election.
She expressed her disappointment over less number of women representatives in Meghalaya Assembly.
“Despite being a matrilineal society, it is not very encouraging to see that there is only one woman representative in the Assembly. We expect to change this trend,” Bhatia said.
At present Urban Affairs Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh is the lone woman MLA in the 60-member House.
Though she was emphasizing on putting up more women candidates this time, at the same time was not very supportive on certain women ticket aspirants.
Urban Affairs Minister, Ampareen Lyngdoh (East Shillong), MPCC working president Deborah C Marak (Williamnagar), Meghalaya State Commission for Women (MSCW) chairperson Roshan Warjri (North Shillong), Eureka Lyngdoh (Mairang), Irin Lyngdoh (Mawthadraishan) and Pelcy Snaitang (Mawshynrut) are some of the women ticket aspirants.
Earlier, Dr Jova Marak had sought Congress ticket to contest from Rambrai-Jyrngam constituency. She later left the party to join UDP after being ‘unofficially’ denied ticket.
Referring to Dr Marak, Bhatia said she left the party on her own and nobody forced her to do so.
On Irin Lyngdoh, an MDC from Pariong constituency, Bhatia said, “Let her first finish the term as an MDC”.
She insisted that the winnability factor would be kept in mind while deciding candidates. “The women who are aspiring for the party ticket should have the potentials to win,” Bhatia asserted.
Stating that some Congressmen were trying to discourage women joining electoral politics, Bhatia asserted, “If a defeated man can get party ticket thrice, why not a woman?”
Bhatia, who arrived in Shillong after touring Garo Hills region as part of the follow up to the poll preparations, said the main objective of her visit was to motivate women to work hard to bring Congress back to power with absolute majority.
She, however, expressed her disappointment over growing factionalism with the party.
“There are a lot of unsaid and unwritten factions within the party. The Mahila Congress has been directed by our party president (Sonia Gandhi) to bring unity in the party,” Bhatia said.