Only 13 of 93 women make it, 11 from AAP

Sanjeev Singh Bariana

Chandigarh, March 10

Only 13 out of 93 women in fray for the Punjab Vidhan Sabha elections won today, once again showing a poor representation of the nearly 48% of the state population. According to the 2011 census, Punjab’s population is 27,743,338 and 13,103,873 of them are female.

With exception of Ganive Kaur of the Shiromani Akali Dal and former Congress minister Aruna Chaudhary, all winning women belong to the AAP. Ganieve Kaur was contesting her first elections on the seat of Majitha which her husband Bikram Singh Majithia had vacated to contest against PPCC president Navjot Singh Sidhu. Aruna Chaudhary retained her Dinanagar seat.

Baljinder Kaur, a member of the national executive of the AAP, has won once again from Talwandi Sabo with a margin of 15,252 votes. Another sitting MLA of the AAP, Sarvjit Kaur Manuke, won the Jagraon seat.

Other AAP winners are Neena Gupta, an old time AAP worker from Rajpura; Dr Amardeep Kaur Arora, a first-timer from Moga; Jeevanjot, a social worker from Amritsar who defeated Navjot Singh Sidhu and Bikram Majithia; farmer Inderjit Kaur Mann from Nakodar; Dr Baljit Kaur from Malout; Narinder Kaur Bharaj from Sangrur; Anmol Gagan Mann from Kharar; Rajinder Pal Kaur from Ludhiana South and Santosh Kumari Kataria from Balachaur.

Former Cabinet minister and social worker Laxmi Kanta Chawla said, “The biggest reason for poor representation of women is because very few of them have come forward and demanded their rights.”

LEADER SPEAK

AAP to be national force

In the coming days, the AAP will become a national force… The party will emerge as the national and natural replacement of Congress. — Raghav Chadha, State aap co-incharge

Took on the challenge

I was keen to enter the fray against him (Badal) and Kejriwal reposed faith in me. It was my will to fight against Badal. Most politicians avoid entering a political battle with the Akali stalwart from his bastion Lambi. — Gurmeet Singh Khudian, AAP’s nominee from Lambi

QUICK NOTES

Congress activist opens fire: AAP supporters

Malout: Some young supporters of the Aam Aadmi Party on Thursday alleged a Congress activist, Pappi Mann, of their village opened fire on them when they were celebrating the victory of their party candidate Dr Baljit Kaur at Jhorar village here. Meanwhile, the police have started investigation and said the accused had already deposited his two weapons, but they were verifying the allegations. TNS