The Congress party has given tickets to 50 women in its first list of candidates for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, announced on Thursday, 13 January.
The announcement, in line with the party General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's promise to provide at least 40 percent of the seats to women, features some prominent names.
The list includes Poonam Pandey, an ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist), who was allegedly roughed up by the cops while trying to meet UP CM Yogi Adityanath in Shahjahanpur in November 2021, the mother of the Unnao rape victim, and Congress leader Sadaf Jafar, who was in jail in connection with the anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) protests in the state.
Unnao Rape Victim's Mother
The Congress named the mother of 2017 Unnao rape victim as its candidate for the upcoming Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh.
Party's general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra released the name of the 19-year-old victim's mother.
Former BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar was convicted and jailed for life for the girl's rape.
The victim's mother has been fielded from Unnao's Bangarmau, the same seat where Sengar won as a BJP candidate in 2017.
Sadaf Jafar
Actor-activist Sadaf Jafar will also contest next month's UP election from the Lucknow (central) seat on a Congress ticket. Jafar was thrashed by male cop, after being arrested during the anti-citizenship law protests in Lucknow in December 2019.
She is currently out on bail following arrest on charges of rioting and attempted murder.
Poonam Pandey
The leader of ASHAs in Uttar Pradesh, Poonam Pandey has been fielded from Shahjahanpur.
Pandey was allegedly assaulted by men in khaki when she tried to meet UP CM Yogi Adityanath in Shahjahanpur to voice the problems faced by the ASHAs in the state.
Pankhuri Pathak
Congress leader Pankhuri Pathak will contest the Assembly elections from Noida. She is the Vice Chairperson of the party's IT wing in the state. Pathak, a history and law graduate, calls herself a "staunch socialist" in her Twitter bio.
Aaradhana Mishra
Aradhana Mishra has been given a ticket from Rampur Khas. She is also the present MLA from the constituency.
Lewis Khurshid
Wife of former Union Minister Salman Khurshid, Louise Khurshid has also been given a Congress ticket from Farrukhabad.
Louise Khurshid is in the list of women have been the face of struggle and suffering at the hands of the ruling BJP in the state.
'Our List, a Message': Priyanka Gandhi
"Our list sends a new message that if you have been a victim of harassment and torture, the Congress will support you," said Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
"Our aim is to strengthen our party and for our candidates to fight on people's issues. We will not indulge in a negative campaign. Our campaign will be about development and the progress of Dalits and backwards," she added.
Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi, "In Unnao, whose daughter was wronged by the BJP, now she will become the face of justice - will fight, will win!"
Uttar Pradesh will go to polls in seven phases between 10 February and 7 March and the results will be declared on 10 March.
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