Madhya Pradesh / BJP fielded 50% women candidates in upcoming MP bypolls: CM

New Delhi: In response to Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's announcement that her party would give 40 per cent tickets to women in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections due next year, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said BJP has already fielded 50 per cent women candidates in the upcoming by-polls to four seats in the state.

In Madhya Pradesh, by-elections to three Assembly seats - Jobat (Alirajpur), Raigaon (Satna), Prithvirpur (Niwari) - and Khandwa Lok Sabha constituency are scheduled on October 30.

While speaking to reporters on Tuesday night at Jobat in Alirajpur district during his campaign for the Assembly by-poll there. Chouhan also expressed hope that the BJP will get a resounding success in the by-polls.

Reacting to Priyanka Gandhi's announcement, Chouhan said, I don't know what she said, but we in Madhya Pradesh have fielded 50 per cent of women candidates in the by-polls to four seats. Out of the four seats, our sisters are contesting on two seats, Sulochana Rawat in Jobat and Pratima Bagri in Raigaon (both Assembly seats)."

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra made the announcement while addressing a press conference from the party office in Lucknow on Tuesday. This, in turn, has shone the light on the problem of the under-representation of women in Uttar Pradesh's polity. 

She said that the decision is aimed at making women full-fledged partners in power. Tasked with regaining the party's lost ground in the politically crucial state, Priyanka Gandhi, said, It's the party promise to give 40 per cent tickets to women in the coming elections. Had I had my way, I would have given 50 per cent tickets to them, she said, adding the decision to field more and more candidates would be taken forward in the 2024 polls.

The Trinamool Congress in a series of tweets claimed that they were the first to assure 40% seats to women during the Lok Sabha elections which the Congress party copied and announced for Uttar Pradesh. TMC further took a dig at Congress saying that one can only hope that it is genuine and not tokenism adding that if they are to be taken seriously they should do the same for other states as well.