The proposal for alloting 33% reservation for women in legislature has been pending for over 13 years, and is still being debated in the Lok Sabha. But here, the BBMP council is set to have 67 women corporators. With a whopping representation given to women, the political parties are also mulling their choice of educated women candidates.
Speaking to DNA, Mangala Sridhar, state vice-president of BJP, said that this time, preference would be given to educated women in her party. “The final list is still being prepared. We need educated women corporators. The society still looks at women in politics with contempt. But women need to be bold and strong to prove their capability in this field,” she added. Sridhar is an ex-corporator, who holds a PhD in tribal medicine. She is aspiring to contest from ward number 7, Byatarayanapura. According to her, the pre-requisite to being a corporator is to have thorough knowledge of the entire city and not just a particular ward.
Aruna RS Nayudu, a 39-year-old from Koramanagala, is another strong candidate contesting from her ward. “My father was an ex-MLA. I have seen the in-and-out of politics. During those days, service was a politicians’ motive. But it isn’t so anymore. I will be contesting as an independent candidate,” said Nayudu, who refused an offer from a mainstream national political party to contest as their candidate.
Presently working as a quality analyst with a corporate firm working on medical transcription, she is also pursuing distance education from Annamalai University and is studying for Bachelor of Business Law (BBL). “My family has been very supportive to my decision on entering politics. Right now, the issues bothering the residents of Koramangala are garbage menace, water woes, improper drainage system, streetlights, pathetic condition of footpaths and safety. These need to addressed,” she said. She will be filing her nomination later this week.
Dr Meenakshi Bharat, 52, gynecologist from Malleswaram is another successful neighborhood-friendly citizen of her area. “I think I can make a huge difference in my ward if I become a corporator. As a doctor, I can make a positive difference in a family.
Similarly, reaching out to the people of my ward can become possible by becoming a corporator,” said Dr Meenakshi, who will be devoting half a day for her medical practice, even after entering politics. She will be contesting from Aramane Nagar ward, representing Loksatta party. She joined the Malleswaram Swabhimanaa Initiative and became an active participant.
In August 2007, she became the secretary of MSI. She helped correct the voters’ list in Malleswaram, and worked towards improving voter turn-out in the 2008 and 2009 elections. “My mission is to positively impact many more people by getting involved in public service,” says Dr Meenakshi.
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