State Mahila Congress former chief Lathika Subash’s ‘tonsure’ protest may have stunned many. The allotment of winnable seats to women in electoral politics, however, is rarely raised as a debate and the discussion mainly revolves around their representation only.
The ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) has given the ticket to 15 women candidates this time, 10 of which are in its sitting seats.Among the remaining five, the winning margin of rival candidates was less than 7,000 votes in two seats in the 2016 Assembly polls. Of the 11 constituencies allotted to women by the United Democratic Front (UDF), only two are its sitting seats. Among the remaining nine seats, the winning margin of the rival candidates was between 10,000 and 43,000 votes in the last polls. The National Democratic Alliance has not given the ticket to any woman from its lone sitting seat.
Kerala Assembly elections | Breaking the glass ceiling in politics
In the 2016 polls, while the LDF fielded 17 women, the UDF gave the ticket to nine.
The sitting seats of the LDF where women are fielded this time and the winning margin of the front’s candidate last time are: Mattannur (43,381), Koyilandy (13,369), Kongad (13,271), Irinjalakuda (2,711), Aranmula (7,646), Kayamkulam (11,857), Kundara (30,460), Attingal (40,383), Vaikom (24,584), and Chadayamangalam (21,928).
Only Aroor and Kozhikode South are the sitting seats allotted to women by the UDF this time and the winning margins there last time were 2,079 and 6,327 votes respectively. Some of the other seats and the winning margins of the rival LDF candidates were Parassala (18,566), Kottarakara (42,632), Kollam (17,611), Thrissur (6,987), Tarur (23,068), Mananthavady (1,307), and Vattiyurkavu (14,465). The LDF had wrested Vattiyurkavu from the UDF and the latter had won Aroor in a byelection.
._Patrick_s_Day_Parade_94380.jpg?w=600)
