AGARTALA, Feb 17 — The women representation in the State continue to be dismal despite demand by both the Left Front and the Congress to reserve 33 per cent seats for the women. This time, there are only 17 women candidates in the fray for the February 26 Assembly polls in comparison to the total number of 254 candidates.
According to the Election Commission sources, the candidates are Kalyani Dey (Mitra), CPI(M) Barjala), Laxmi Nag Burman, (Congress, Khayerpur), Kartik Kanya Debbarma, (NCP, Takarjala), Tutan Chakraborty (Bhowmik), (JD (U), Sionamura), Pratima Bhoumik (BJP, Dhanpur), Mira Das (Congress, Salgarah), Kanak Prabha Das (Independent Salgrah) Sefali Choudhury (Independent Radhakishorepur), Bijoy Laxmi Sinha (CPM, Kamalpur), Basanti Singh (Trinamool Congress Kamalpur), Swapna Das (Congress, Pabiacherra), Sima Paul Choudhury (Congress, Dharmanagar), Bibha Rani Nath (Congress, Jubarajnagar) and Baijainti Koloy (CPI(M), Takarjala, Putul Das (Amara Bangali Nalchar) and Papri Halder (Lok Janashakti, Town Bardowali) and Nirupama Chakma (Congress, Penchartal.
In the 1998 Assembly election, CPI(M) fielded six candidates (including Bijay Lakshmi Sinha elected in by-poll and the percentage of representation being ten percent, though only three managed to win a seat. On the other hand Congress fielded just three candidates with five percent representation. However all lost their seats. This time, CPI(M) dropped four women candidates, Urmila Biswa, Krishna Rakshit and Sandhya Rani Debbarma, who contested last elections and included a new face Kalyani Dey (Mitra).
CPI(M) decided to reserve the Takarjala seat as it was represented mainly by women and Kartik Debbarma won the seat in 1993 and became the social Welfare Minister, although for a short tire. On the other hand, Bijoy Lakshmi Sinha, the widow of late Bimal Sinha was given nomination for she represents Bishnupriya Manipuri commmunity, a sizeable population in the State. Congress on the other hand increased their percentage of representation from five to 14.25 this time. In the last Assembly polls, BJP fielded seven women candidates but cut down the representation to one this time. In the 1998 Assembly elections there were 16 candidates for seventeen candidates.