Kerala polls: Shama Mohamed flags low women's tickets, urges Rahul

Congress' Shama Mohamed has called out the party's poor representation of women in ticket distribution for the Kerala Assembly polls, noting only 9 of 92 seats went to women. She urged leader Rahul Gandhi to address the "dire" situation.

Congress Leader Flags Poor Women's Representation

Congress leader Shama Mohamed flagged the under-representation of women in ticket distribution for the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections, urging Rahul Gandhi to address the issue. In a post on X, Mohamed said, "Denied but not defeated. I respectfully urge my leader @rahulgandhi ji who I adore, respect & Admire to help the Congress women of Kerala. Out of the 92 tickets, only 9 tickets were given to women. In the Lok Sabha of 24, only 1 woman was given out of the 16 tickets distributed. And if the woman happens to be talented, the situation is dire! Very very sad." https://x.com/drshamamohd/status/2034883565935370362

Her remarks come a day after the Congress party finalised candidates for the upcoming polls. Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan on Thursday said the party has finalised candidates for all 95 seats it is contesting. "We have decided on all 95 candidates in the Kerala Assembly elections... We declared 55 seats the day before yesterday, and we decided on the rest of the 40 seats now. The selection of the candidates is over; now we are going to campaign," he said.

Election Preparations Underway

Meanwhile, Gandhi also participated in a meeting of the Congress Central Election Committee for Puducherry in New Delhi, chaired by party president Mallikarjun Kharge. The meeting focused on organisational strategy and election planning.

As per the Election Commission schedule, Kerala will vote in a single phase on April 9, with counting of votes scheduled for May 4.

Rahul Gandhi Backs UDF Alliance

Earlier, Rahul Gandhi expressed support for the United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala, stating that the alliance represents the aspirations of the people and is prepared for the upcoming Assembly elections. In a post on X, Gandhi wrote, "Team UDF is Team Keralam. Each candidate reflects the voice, the aspirations and the trust of the people of Keralam. This is a collective of experienced leaders and young change-makers - a strong team of men and women who understand the intricacies of the constituencies they represent. For me, Keralam is home, and the people of Keralam are family. I owe a great debt to the people for everything they have taught me and for the love and warmth they have embraced me with - I will always be your partner."

He added, "The message from Keralam is clear - the people are ready for change, they seek a government that listens, understands, and delivers with honesty. Along with the coming UDF government, I will do everything to help build a better future for this beautiful state. Keralam will win. UDF will lead." (ANI)

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