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Political Notes |
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Elections in Himachal Pradesh not to be postponed
The Election Commission has rejected the Congress Party’s plea to postpone the coming Assembly elections in Himachal Pra¬desh.
The elections will be held as scheduled in two phases on November 14 and December 19. Addressing a press conference in Shimla on Wednesday, Oct. 17, Chief Election Commissioner Gopa¬laswamy said, “However, we can consider the request of the State Education Board to pre-pone the second phase by at least 15 days if it insists.”
The Commission, however, brushed aside the Congress conten¬tion of an early snowfall this year and postponement of the elections to February next year.
It also rejected the Congress petition alleging confusion being created by the advancement of elections by a few days and co-existence of two elected Assemblies.
All political parties with the exception of the ruling Congress welcomed the Election Commission’s decision of sticking to the scheduled poll dates.
Women activists launch political party
Women activists from various parts of the country have got together to form India’s first political party for women called United Women’s Front (UWF). With Suman Krishna Kant as its national president, the party was launched in the Capital on Oct. 16.
Calling it a historic moment for women in India, Prem Ahluwalia, general secretary of the UWF, promised that the party would address politically both traditional and modern issues related to women.
The party claims to be a political party for women and its agenda includes all the facets of the mainstream Indian political scenario.
“We are not only raising the issues related to women but also the issues that affect the larger population like poverty, corruption and an overall degeneration of politics,” said Suman Krishna Kant.
Being the wife of former Vice-President of India late Krish¬na Kant, Suman has visited rural areas spreading awareness against alcoholism. “We are not averse to the idea of working with men. There are good men as well,” she said.
Mayawati among eight top woman leaders of the world
Bahujan Samaj Party supremo and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati has been profiled by the US magazine Newsweek, as one of the eight outstanding woman leaders worldwide to reach the top despite all odds. Telling her story of striving towards the top, Mayawati has said that she is now aiming to capture power at the Centre by replicating her “winning formula.”
Narrating her struggle, the Dalit leader wrote in the maga¬zine: “I like the competition and I like to win.” Underlining that one gets better with time, Mayawati says, “Our aim now is to replicate the winning formula in other states and prepare for the bigger struggle to capture power in New Delhi.” Hitherto, a party confined to the Dalit community, the BSP swept the Assembly election early this year by involving the upper castes and the Muslims.
Mayawati said her party initially needed an aggressive approach to bring the poor Dalits together. “Political parties dominated by upper castes got alarmed by the rising masses. Their opposition had cut short each of my first four stints as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.”
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