Naveen Patnaik: Give 33% of poll tickets to women in Odisha Assembly Elections 2019

Naveen Patnaik: Give 33% of poll tickets to women in Odisha Assembly Elections 2019

The Issue

I have always been a proud Odia. Today, I have one more reason to celebrate my identity. Biju Janata Dal, a political party from Odisha has announced that it will give 33% tickets to women in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. This decision has created history in Indian politics and will lay the path to bringing gender equality in our country's politics.

I would also like to acknowledge the fact that we are the first state in the country to pass the 33% Women's Reservation Bill at the state level and also the first state in the country to give 50% reservation to women in the panchayat elections.

This effort by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to bring gender equality in Indian politics was recently recognised by the United Nations.

So, if the BJD has already announced 33% tickets to women in the Lok Sabha elections, why not in the state assembly as well? BJD should become a role model for the rest of the country.

Sign my petition asking the BJD to announce 33% tickets to women in the state assembly elections.

The 2019 General Elections are nearing and political parties are in the process of finalising their candidates.

In the last state assembly election, only 8% tickets were given to women candidates across all parties in Odisha. And the total number of women MLAs in the current assembly is just 11 out of 147 which is again just 7%.

Can't a political party that has been at the helm of Odisha for the last twenty years, find 49 women leaders to give tickets to in the election?

Sign my petition to the President of Biju Janata Dal to issue 33% tickets to women in the state assembly elections. Let's bring more women into politics!

Image credit: indiatimes.com

avatar of the starter
Pranay manjari SamalPetition Starter
This petition had 40,911 supporters

The Issue

I have always been a proud Odia. Today, I have one more reason to celebrate my identity. Biju Janata Dal, a political party from Odisha has announced that it will give 33% tickets to women in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. This decision has created history in Indian politics and will lay the path to bringing gender equality in our country's politics.

I would also like to acknowledge the fact that we are the first state in the country to pass the 33% Women's Reservation Bill at the state level and also the first state in the country to give 50% reservation to women in the panchayat elections.

This effort by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to bring gender equality in Indian politics was recently recognised by the United Nations.

So, if the BJD has already announced 33% tickets to women in the Lok Sabha elections, why not in the state assembly as well? BJD should become a role model for the rest of the country.

Sign my petition asking the BJD to announce 33% tickets to women in the state assembly elections.

The 2019 General Elections are nearing and political parties are in the process of finalising their candidates.

In the last state assembly election, only 8% tickets were given to women candidates across all parties in Odisha. And the total number of women MLAs in the current assembly is just 11 out of 147 which is again just 7%.

Can't a political party that has been at the helm of Odisha for the last twenty years, find 49 women leaders to give tickets to in the election?

Sign my petition to the President of Biju Janata Dal to issue 33% tickets to women in the state assembly elections. Let's bring more women into politics!

Image credit: indiatimes.com

avatar of the starter
Pranay manjari SamalPetition Starter

The Decision Makers

Sasmit Patra
Sasmit Patra
Spokesperson, Biju Janata Dal
Responded
“Dear Citizens, I have received this petition on Change.org started by Ms. Pranay Manjari Samal, who is supported by all of you, and I would like to respond. As you may be aware, the Biju Janata Dal is the only party to have walked the talk on the political empowerment of women. This was evidenced by the recent announcement made by our party chief Mr. Naveen Patnaik to field 33% women candidates in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. He is also the only party chief to have sent off delegations to various political parties across the country asking them to support the 33% reservation for women candidates in the Parliamentary and the various State Assembly elections. Towards this end, I wish to reiterate to Ms. Pranay, her supporters on Change.org and crores of women that, as and when the law on this matter comes up for discussion, my party, the BJD will whole-heartedly support it. While the BJD is proud to take the lead in this matter, it is imperative that the citizenry of this country persuade the Congress Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party to follow our example in Parliament of giving one-third of tickets to women candidates in their respective parties. After all, translating this vision of bringing more women into the legislature and into government needs to be extended to all political parties, at all levels. It needs to go beyond one state, Odisha, and one party, the Biju Janata Dal. With regard to the issue that Ms. Pranay has raised, of giving 33% of seats to women candidates in the upcoming 2019 Odisha Vidhan Sabha elections, I wish to clarify that 99 MLA candidates including women candidates have already been declared by the party for this election and they have also filed their nominations with the last date of nomination having passed. The remaining candidates are about to be announced shortly, with the list of candidates almost decided upon internally by the party leadership. I am happy to share that the BJD is already fielding more women candidates in the Vidhan Sabha elections this year compared to the number fielded in the 2014 assembly election. That is to stay, this is the first-time ever that a record number of women are contesting elections in Odisha. And it is only going to improve in the years ahead. The BJD remains committed to creating opportunities for more and more women to join politics and assume greater decision-making powers. I would like you to stay updated on all the work the Biju Janata Dal is doing. Please follow us on twitter @bjd_odisha Thank you, Sasmit Patra Spokesperson, Biju Janata Dal”
Tathagata Satpathy
Tathagata Satpathy
Biju Janata Dal Leader
Naveen Patnaik
Naveen Patnaik
President, Biju Janata Dal

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Petition created on 10 March 2019