In the murky world of politics, another woman leader – Atishi – has become the Chief Minister of Delhi. Situations conspired to catapult the Delhi education minister to the top slot after long-time chief minister Arvind Kejriwal ended up in the Liquor Scam, was jailed, and released on bail after six months with the court specifically asking him not to “enter” the CM’s office. Atishi’s brief however is for five months only as Delhi is set for assembly polls in February. She could even be the next CM. This is a proud moment for women. They have had fewer opportunities in politics to lead from the front. In the past 77 years of Independence, only 17 women could become chief ministers.
Delhi has the credit to anoint as many as three women leaders to this position; the others being Sheila Dikshit and Sushma Swaraj of the Congress and the BJP respectively. Both Sheila and Sushama made major marks in politics, but the first ended up in a major corruption case vis a vis the CWG scam and the other went on to become the Leader of Opposition in Parliament and external affairs minister. Women power came to the fore principally from the time of Indira Gandhi as Prime Minister. Sucheta Kripalani, Nandini Satpathy, Jayalalithaa, Mehbooba Mufti, Uma Bharti, Mayawati, Vasundhara Raje, Rabri Devi and Anandiben Patel are among the prominent former CMs. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is holding the fort repeatedly. There was a President – Pratibha Patil — and a crop of women governors. They have all acquitted themselves well.
The field of politics however remains male-dominated. Yet, Indira Gandhi towered over others, so much so she had been described as the only ‘man’ in her cabinet dominated by docile ministers. Jayalalithaa repeatedly became chief minister and was a tower of strength for many years in Tamil Nadu. Mayawati was strong as chief minister though she hailed from an ordinary background; and the story goes that she had a habit of removing her chappals and beating up officials who, literally, crossed her way. Having lost her electoral support in UP, Mayawati is today a shadow of her former self. Sonia Gandhi as Congress chief and UPA parliamentary party leader had excelled mostly by her deafening silence. Sonia was the central power behind the UPA I and II, though she never held even a ministerial post; and Manmohan Singh as prime minister often danced to her tune. Woman power is bound to come to the fore in all fields of public life, including politics, sooner than later. The promised 33 percent reservation is expected to be granted to women in parliament and state legislatures with effect from the next parliament polls in 2029. Local bodies already have such a provision.