New Delhi:Seven more women members, including Meenakashi Lekhi, Shobha Karandlaje and Anupriya Singh Patel, joined the council of ministers of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, taking the overall female strength to 11, one of the highest. Among the new ministers, Karandlaje represents Udupi-Chikmagaluru Lok Sabha Constituency as an MP and has a fiery reputation for defending the party across several issues.
Speaking to ETV Bharat, Karandlaje said it's a matter of pride that Prime Minister Narendra Modi focuses on women empowerment and is working towards eliminating gender inequalities in politics by reserving berths for women. "The number of women in politics is increasing at the grassroots level and the same should happen at the Central and state levels. This will help the government to address the issues surrounding women efficiently," she said. If asked whether the government will press for the women's reservation bill, Karandlaje said it will be a collective decision and that the BJP has always been in support of the bill.