Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday released the list of 125 candidates who will fight in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh elections. Of the 125 names, 50 are women, including the mother of the Unnao rape survivor, an anti-Citizenship Act (CAA) protestor and an ASHA worker.
Apart from them, family members of the party’s heavyweights are also on the list.
At a time when the Congress party is passing through a deep political crisis in a politically significant state after the debacle of the 2014 and 2019 general elections and 2017 assembly elections, the party hopes to revive its fortunes by fielding women candidates in a sizeable number.
Asha Singh, the mother of the Unnao rape survivor, is the most notable name on the list. Expelled Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, who is accused of sexually assaulting Asha’s daughter, a minor, in 2017, was sentenced to life imprisonment. However, Asha’s struggles continue as she lost her husband too.
Priyanka Gandhi also announced the candidature of anti-CAA protestor Sadaf Jafar from the Lucknow Central seat. Jafar, who was arrested while shooting a Facebook Live video of the anti-CAA protests in Uttar Pradesh, was allegedly beaten up by the UP Police. The school teacher-turned-politician’s name was also posted on the controversial “Bulli Bai” app.
Speaking to The Wire, Jafar said, “I am thankful to the party leadership for acknowledging my services to the society.” The Congress candidate’s name also appeared on a controversial poster of the UP government during the anti-CAA protest.
She also took a dig at the BJP, saying the Congress believes in women’s empowerment practically, but the BJP does not. The BJP gave merely a slogan, “Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao”, and shielded the accused in Unnao and Hathras rape cases.
Women’s rights activists welcomed the move. While acknowledging that the Congress has given her an opportunity to enter into politics, prominent social worker Madhu Garg questioned Priyanka Gandhi, “Why did her party not pass the women’s reservation Bill when it was in power between 2004 and 2014?”
ASHA employee Poonam Pandey, who led the movement for increasing workers’ wages, would also run for the Congress on the party’s ticket from Shahjahanpur.
Congress heavyweight and former union minister Salman Khurshid’s wife, Louise Khurshid, has also got a ticket from Furrukhabad. Aradhna Misra “Mona”, daughter of veteran Congress leader Pramood Tewari, will contest from the Rampur “Khas” seat of Pratapgarh.
Misra, Priyanka Gandhi’s close aide, was Pratapgarh’s block head from 2001 to 2016. Later, she entered mainstream politics and was elected as a legislator.
Women empowerment
Political observers believe that the Congress is trying to shift the political paradigm from ‘communalism’ and ‘casteism’ to ‘women’s empowerment’, and this would encourage political parties to field more women in the assembly and general elections.
Senior journalist Shahira Naim believes that this is a positive move and it could end the politics of ‘mandal’ and ‘kamandal’. However, she also said that “it is not certain that the Congress will have any advantage in the upcoming elections, but in the future, Congress will be benefitted in the general elections of 2024”.
The state Congress in-charge had earlier stated that her party would field 40% women in the UP elections. However, it is not yet clear whether Priyanka Gandhi herself will contest the election or not.
While addressing the media before revealing the names of party candidates, she said the intent behind fielding women candidates was to help them “take their fight in their own hands and continue to struggle against the system that seeks to gag their voices”.
Among the party’s heavyweights, Congress has decided to field state president Ajay Kumar Lallu from the Tamkuhi Raj constituency of Kushinagar. Party leader Pankhuri Pathak will contest elections from Noida.
Former Bareilly mayor Supriya Aron will run for the Bareilly Cantt seat. Former Samajwadi Party worker Ritu Singh, who was allegedly manhandled by BJP workers during the block election that was held in the state in 2021, will contest from Mohammadi, Lakhimpur Kheri.
Congress leaders have also announced that the party will soon start door-to-door campaigns in the state. “It is much easier to mobilise people around a hate agenda than it is to mobilise people around a constructive agenda,” Priyanka Gandhi said.
The fielding of women candidates in large numbers by Congress in the upcoming elections should be seen as part of its campaign that goes with slogan “ladki hoon, lad sakti hoon (I’m a girl and can fight)”.
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