There are only three percent of women in the first candidate list of JD(S).
Janata Dal Secular has only three women candidates in the first list of candidates released in December last year for the upcoming state assembly elections, despite promising 35 percent women representation for state elections of 2023, back in 2021.
Sheela Naik, former candidate of JD(S) from Mayakonda who lost elections from her constituency was not given a ticket for 2023 assembly elections. She said, “Probably a male candidate will be contesting from my area this year.”
Another former candidate of JD(S), Sushilabai Basavaraj from Chincholi is also not contesting for elections this year. She said, “I did not win the last election, so I am not coming forward as a candidate for assembly elections. There is no pressure from party officials and seniors but I need time to prepare a little more for elections. I will surely contest in the future on the behalf of JD(S).”
In 2013, JD(S) fielded only 25 women constituents with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Indian National Congress (INC) fielding 175 and 50 respectively. A majority of women fought as independents candidates and three-fourth of them lost from their constituencies.
Sharada Poorna Naik, has revived a ticket to contest in the elections this year. She had won elections from her constituency, Shivamogga (rural). She said, “Getting women forward is a big task for elections, they lose hope if they are not winning and ask their husbands or brothers to take their positions in future.” She further added that the party also needs to boost their morale so that a better environment is created for them to come forward for elections. “If we need at least 35 percent women representation in our party, we should have brought more women in the first list,” she added.
The spokesperson for JD(S), Veeranna S.G. said, “We have been trying to increase women representation in our elections, it is tough to get active participation from their side in the campaigns.”
Shilpi U, a resident of Jayanagar said, “Me and my family actively support JD(S) but I barely see any woman representing us. I wish there were more women involved in politics; women related issues would be addressed better with more women in the political parties and legislation.”
H.K. Kumaraswamy, a member of the legislative assembly (MLA) of JD(S) said, “We support women empowerment in every way possible. This is the first list of candidates contesting for 93 constituencies. Other lists are yet to be released and will be declared in the first week of April. We are trying to come up with 50 percent of women representation, we are trying our best to give them a platform but at the end it’s up to them.”
In 2018, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had over two percent women candidates, congress had over seven percent while JD(S) had only one percent out of 224 constituencies. Female candidates comprised only ten percent of the total number of contestants, out of which three percent were a part of the elected legislative assembly.
M.G. Mahesh, spokesperson for BJP said, “We are yet to declare our candidate list because we are trying to make our elections gender neutral. We will involve as many women candidates as we can, we did not have much of a female presentation in 2018 but 2023 will see more women as compared to former elections.”
A senior party leader of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said, “We know the importance of women representation and we have been inviting more women volunteers and candidates to work for the party.” AAP’s women candidate, Veena Serrao is helping in increasing women participation in the party said the spokesperson.
V.S. Ugrappa, from INC said, “We will release our candidate list soon, we are making changes keeping the popularity and work our volunteers and aspiring candidates have done, we are trying to have at least 20 to 25 percent women as our candidates for this election.”
Pooja Sharma, head of the department, political science said that women can be powerful candidates if given a chance. She further added, “Karnataka has 224 constituencies, out of which 93 member lists have already been declared, to bring 35 percent representation as promised they ought to have at least 10 to 11 women in every list they tend to declare.”
