Lucknow: Voting for the third phase of elections in U.P. will be held on 10 seats on May 7. There has been a decrease in the candidature of women candidates in this election as compared to the previous elections. Major political parties also did not show generosity in giving tickets to women candidates. In the last elections, out of 10 seats, only the female candidate was able to cross the threshold of Parliament by winning from Badaun seat.
13 women candidates in 2019
The ten seats for which elections are to be held in the third phase in U.P. include Sambhal, Hathras, Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, Firozabad, Mainpuri, Etah, Badaun, Amla and Bareilly. Of the total 115 candidates in the 2019 elections, 13 were women. In this election, 1 woman candidate was in the fray from Sambhal seat, 2 from Agra, 2 from Fatehpur Sikri, 1 each from Etah and Badaun and 3 each from Bareilly and Amla. There were no women candidates in the fray from Hathras, Firozabad and Mainpuri.
According to the 2019 election data, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Dr. Sangpriya Gautam had won from Badanu parliamentary seat. Congress candidate Preeta Harit was contesting from Agra. Preeta Harit stood third. Samajwadi Party (SP)’s Dimple Yadav won the by-election on Mainpuri seat after the death of Mulayam Singh Yadav in 2022. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate Ruchiveera was the runner-up from Amla seat.
Claims reduced in 2024 elections
There are nine women among the total 100 candidates on 10 seats in the third phase in the 2024 general elections. In comparison to the last election, there are four less women candidates in this election. Talking about women candidates of major political parties, in U.P., SP has fielded Dimple Yadav from Mainpuri. Apart from this, no major party has given ticket to any woman candidate. According to the Election Commission data, 1 each from Agra, Fatehpur Sikri and Firozabad seats, 2 each from Mainpuri and Badaun, 1 each from Amla and Bareilly are trying their luck in the electoral fray. There is no woman candidate in the fray from three seats, Sambhal, Hathras and Etah.
