Madhesi women in poll fray face uphill task

  KATHMANDU, Nov 13: Though women candidates contesting the CA election from Tarai-Madhes constituencies profess confidence in victory, there are apprehensions they may not do so well as it is money and muscle that largely determine victory in elections, especially in the Tarai.

In the 2008 poll, the number of women candidates from the Madhesi People´s Right Forum-Nepal (MPRF-N), Tarai Madhes Democratic Party (TMDP) and the Sadbhawana Party (SP) was 11 out of a total of 284 candidates.

However, the number of women candidates picked under the first past the post (FPTP) electoral system by the four major Madhesi parties--MPRF-N, Bijay Kumar Gachchhadar-led MPRF-D, TMDP and SP-- has increased significantly to 79 out of the total of 552 they are fielding.

The women candidates have said that their victory was certain as women voter sentiment was with them. However, they were quick to add that the common perception about them was not fair, and that "male voters don´t easily trust them as society is still male-dominated".

Anita Yadav, who is contesting from constituency-5 of Dhanusha on a TMDP ticket, said that she has concluded her door-to-door campaigning. "The sentiment of women is with us," said Yadav, adding, "We are just as confident and capable as male candidates."
She further said, "The people have the power and they are fed up with the corruption and opportunism of male leaders; I am hopeful people will vote for me."
Asked whether they were capable of resorting to every tactic available to win, like the male candidates do, Yadav said, "I am equally capable of doing anything to win." For her, every woman candidate in the Tarai is as capable as any male candidate.

SP candidate Kala Kumari Dhakal, who is contesting from constituency-3 of Nawalparasi, said that she could not reach every voter in her constituency. But she claimed that female candidates were trusted more in comparision to males. She further said that though her victory was not certain, she would be a strong contender.
"The candidates of other parties are using short-term incentives to woo voters," said Dhakal, adding, "My victory is not certain as I don´t have money and muscle." She further said that she was not being treated fairly by voters belonging to the Hill communities as she "belongs to a Madhesi party".

"Hill community people don´t easily trust me as I represent a Madhes-based party," she said. "However, educated and alert voters do trust us."
Another female candidate, Karima Begam, who is contesting in constituency-1, Parsa from the MPRF-N, said no force could stop her from winning. "Voters resonate with me as if I were a family member," said Begam. She further said that women and the Muslim electorate in particular would vote for her as their sentiment was with her.

"This time round also my victory is certain," claimed Begam. She won from the same constituency in the previous election. "We have to believe in ourselves and contest with full conviction that we can win."

However, political analysts say society is yet to trust female poll candidates.
Women activist Manchala Jha said the Madhesi community does not yet trust women leaders. "Though people in Madhes generally feel for women, they are not ready to accept them as candidates to represent them in parliament," said Jha. She further said that political awareness came to Madhesi women leaders only after the Madhes movement of 2007. "Leadership is yet to develop in them."

She went on to accuse the Madhesi parties of fielding women candidates in those constituencies where they were weak. "The Madhesi parties don´t want to concede a respectable space to women," claimed Jha, adding that Madhesi parties have fielded women candidates just to ensure 33 per cent representation for women.

"A candidate who has access to money and muscle is likey to win in the constituencies of the Tarai and there is no consideration for political ideology or anything else. Since women are unable to use muscle and money, they may not get elected in the numbers anticipated," insisted Jha.