BJP for women candidates

SHILLONG, MAY 22: BJP national Mahila Morcha chief Vijaya Rahatkar today said that party would field as many women candidates as possible in the forthcoming 2018 elections to the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly.

“We will try our best to field as many women candidates as possible in the elections just like in the states of Maharashtra and Haryana,” Rahatkar told reporters after addressing a meeting of the state women’s wing here.

Stating that a homemaker can also play an important role in politics and nation building, she said that the BJP is keen to ensure that due respect is given to women in all forums.

“In fact we were the first party to introduce the Women’s Reservation Bill during the Vajpayee led NDA government at the centre,” she added.

Rahatkar, who was also accompanied by the party’s Mahila Morcha national secretary Pooja Kapil Mishra, is on her first visit to Meghalaya with an aim to strengthen the party and its women’s wing ahead of the crucial 2018 poll.

Exuding confidence that the BJP would form the new government in the state, she said, “We shall implement all the welfare schemes by ensuring a corruption-free government.”

Spelling out her party’s strategies, the Mahila Morcha national chief also announced a house to house campaign to create awareness about the various policies introduced and implemented by the BJP led NDA government.

“Workers of the party will go to all the households of Meghalaya speaking to them about the many yojanas (schemes),” she said.

Some of the schemes as pointed by Rahatkar include – Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Swachh Bharat, Skill Development, free gas connection and others.

She further informed that they would also like to ensure that the Maternity Bill is implemented so that pregnant women would be given financial assistance.

At present, over 20,000 women from across the state have joined the saffron party even as enrollment is still continuing in 30 assembly constituencies, according to the BJP state mahila president Pelcy Snaitang.

Meanwhile, Rahatkar has also expressed her desire to ensure 5 women representatives in each booth centre of the party.

Earlier while in her address, the national president termed the women folks in matrilineal society as strong.

“Here there is a lot of respect for women, who are strong whether in work or family matters,” she said even as she appealed to them to support the BJP party in the state.