All political fronts in Kerala "miserably failed" in giving seats to women: CPI leader

CPI leader and general secretary of the National Federation of Indian women Annie Raja said that all political fronts in Kerala "miserably failed" in giving seats to women.

Thiruvananthapuram: CPI leader and general secretary of the National Federation of Indian women Annie Raja on Monday hit out at the political fronts in Kerala, saying they had 'miserably failed' in giving seats to women.

'The candidate lists show that all the political fronts have failed miserably in givingseats to women.It seems like while deciding candidates, there is a revengeful mentality towards women,' she said, reacting to the tonsure protest by former Mahila Congress president Lathika Subhash.

Some leaders think that this much is enough for women and Parliament and Assembly seats are only for men,she told reporters in New Delhi.

Lathika Subhash registered her strong protest at the manner in which candidates were selected for the April 6 assembly polls.

However, certain congress leaders, including Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Ramesh Chennithala say women do not have the right to protest as they like,the CPI leader claimed.

'It seems like they want women to protest as per the wishes of men. How anti-women is that? she asked.

As a mark of protest over the manner in which congress candidates were selected for the election, the 56-year-old Subhash had tonsured her head on Sunday sitting in front of the Congress office here.

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In the ruling Left Democratic Front, the CPI(M) has allocated12 seatsto women in the 85 seats being contested by it.

The CPI has fielded two women candidates in the 22 seats announced by it.The party is contesting in 25 seats.

Meanwhile, KC(M), which is an ally of the LDF, has released a list of 12 candidates out of which there is only one woman in the fray.

The Congress, which announced its candidates for 86 seats out of the 92 it is contesting, has fielded nine women candidates.

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The IUML,a major ally of the Congress in the United Democratic Front (UDF), contesting in 27 seats had announced a list for 25 seats and for the first time since 1996 has fielded one woman candidate this time.

Meanwhile, the BJP, which is contesting from 115 constituencies, has announced that 12 women candidates will be in the fray.

PTI