The number of women contestants in Arunachal Pradesh has gone up to 11 in the current election for the 60-member Assembly, against seven in the 2014 polls. One of the two Lok Sabha seats in the state also has a woman candidate who is a greenhorn.
With nine first time contestants in both assembly and Lok Sabha, this is the highest number of women candidates in the state till date. There were seven women contestants in 2014 elections and one of them won. Simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly elections will be held in the Northeastern state on 11 April.
Of the 11 assembly poll contestants, the Congress has fielded five women candidates, the ruling BJP nominated three, while the People's Party of Arunachal (PPA) and the JD(U) selected one each.
It is encouraging to see a large participation of women in elections this time, but more women need to come forward and participate in nation-building exercise, Arunachal Pradesh State Commission for Women (APSCW) Chairperson Radhila Chai Techi said. "We are committed to create a political space for women in the state," Techi added.