Yahoo Movies Bengal Elections: Didi Unleashes Women Power, 50 Figure In TMC List
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) led by Mamata Banerjee announced its candidate list for the upcoming West Bengal Assembly polls. Out of 294 seats, TMC will contest in 291 seats, while the remaining three are for its alliance partner, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM). This time, Banerjee will be contesting from the Nandigram constituency in East Midnapore district, leaving Bhawanipore, which has been her bastion since 2011.
The candidate list includes 50 women, 79 Scheduled Castes, 42 Muslims and 17 Scheduled Tribes candidates. The list also has prominent actors, singers, doctors, sportspersons, writers and politicians. Banerjee has given equal opportunity to first-timers and youth members.
On the other hand, TMC’s opposition, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has released its candidate list. Out of the total 57 candidates, six women will be contesting the assembly elections.
The 2021 Bengal assembly elections will be held in eight phases, beginning March 27 and ending on April 29. Poll results will be declared May 2.
Banerjee’s pro-women agenda
Earlier in 2019, the TMC had allotted tickets to a large number of women, who had occupied 40 percent seats. What stands out this time is the focus on diversity. Although Didi has received harsh criticism for dropping 28 sitting MLAs, she has made sure the candidate list includes a few heavyweights from the entertainment industry. Some of the prominent female actors the party has fielded include Kaushani Mukherjee, Lovely Moitra, June Malia, Aditi Munshi, Sayantika Banerjee and Sayani Ghosh.
Female voters are a critical part of Bengal’s political landscape, and both TMC and BJP are leaving no stone unturned to appease them.
Previously, Union Home Minister Amit Shah called out the “poor situation of the state, and also that the situation for women needed to change.” He had also assured that the BJP government would provide 33 percent quota for women in government jobs if the party is voted to power in Bengal in the upcoming Assembly elections.
(Edited by Amrita Ghosh)
