Kerala - Kochi   

`Women should be given larger role'

Special Correspondent

Assembly polls crucial for the UPA Government: Margaret Alva

KOCHI: All India Congress Committee general secretary Margaret Alva on Monday made a fervent appeal to the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee to give a larger role to women in the State's electoral politics.

Inaugurating the KPCC general body here, Mrs. Alva said, "it is unfortunate that in a State like Kerala, with a high level of literacy, women are not visible. Women constitute more than 60 per cent of India's electorate, but they are hardly represented in the organisation and legislatures. Women are needed to catch votes through door-to-door campaigns. They are either too old or too young to be in politics. Political establishments come with all kinds of excuses to keep women out," Mrs. Alva said. In this context, she pointed out that women headed five political parties in the country.

She also captured the mood of the KPCC delegates by launching an attack on the CPI (M) and Left parties for throwing roadblocks on the United Progressive Alliance Government at the Centre. Mrs. Alva, who holds charge of West Bengal, said that 29 years of "Red Rule" had failed to address issues of poverty. The State had witnessed more than 44,000 political murders, while the police force was politicised and the school drop-out rate was second to Bihar. She said that with the advent of the UPA Government, the Congress perceptions had changed in terms of its policies and commitments. She condemned the attempts of the Left parties to create a lobby. The Left parties claimed to be opposing privatisation of airports while the UPA Government was talking about their modernisation. The Left parties did not have anything to say about the first private airport in Kerala, she remarked. The upcoming Assembly election was crucial for the UPA Government, she said. KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala presided over the function, while the Congress Working Committee member A.K. Antony, and Union Minister Vayalar Ravi spoke. The general body later took up six major resolutions for debate.

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