Mumbai: The fair sex again got an un-fair deal in the Maharashtra Assembly 2019 elections. Only 24 women out of around 235-odd who contested have been elected as law-makers in the 288-member state assembly.
The single-largest winner, ruling Bharatiya Janata Party secured victory for a maximum number of 12 women, but its ally Shiv Sena fared poor with only two of its women candidates getting elected.
The opposition Congress has sent five women to the legislature and its ally Nationalist Congress Party has given three women legislators.
Among the winning women, one-third – or eight – are sitting legislators who have been re-elected from different constituencies.
Two independent women contestants have been elected to the lower house, including one BJP rebel who trounced the official candidate by a convincing victory margin.
The BJP 12-women brigade comprises: Manisha Choudhary (Dahisar), Vidya Thakur (Goregaon), Bharati Lavekar (Versova) – all in Mumbai; Manda Mhatre (Belapur, Navi Mumbai), Madhuri Misal (Parvati), Mukta Tilak (Kasbapeth, Pune), Devyani Farande (Nashik Central), Seema Hire (Nashik West), Shweta Mahale (Chikhli), Meghna Bordikar (Jintur), Namita Mundada (Kej), Monica Rajale (Shevgaon).
The two women Shiv Sainiks are: Yamini Jadhav (Byculla) who inflicted a surprise defeat for AIMIM’s sitting MLA Waris Pathan, and Lata Sonawane (Chopda) who trounced NCP’s Jagdishchandra Valvi.
The Congress’s five-women team includes: Varsha Gaikwad (Dharavi, Mumbai), Praniti Shinde (Solapur Central), Pratibha Dhanorkar (Warora), Sulabha Khodke (Amravati), and Yashomati Thakur (Teosa).
The NCP’s three-women group comprises: Suman R. R. Patil (Tasgaon-Kavathe Mahankal), Aditi Tatkare (Shriwardhan) and Saroj Ahire (Devlali).
The two independent women winners are: Manjula Gavit (Sakri) and BJP rebel Geeta Jain (Mira-Bhayander).
Some of the prominent women losers include BJP minister Pankaja Munde (Parli), Aam Aadmi Party’s Paromita Goswami (Brahmapuri), and Akhil Bharatiya Manavta Party’s Vanita Raut (Chimur) – who shot to limelight for her poll agenda of making the ‘dry’ Chandrapur district flowing with liquor.-IANS/ QUAID NAJMI
