The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in India is looking to nominate women candidates for about a third of the 543 seats that will be up for grabs in the lower house of Parliament in 2024, as it aims to increase the number of women in the corridors of power. The party also plans to recruit more than 900 women into positions within its internal staff, aiming to have at least one-third female representation at every level of management. India’s nearly 700 million women make up about one in 10 national and regional lawmakers. Some critics of the BJP also say that if it was fully committed to equality, it could pass a bill to reserve a third of seats in the lower house of the Parliament for women before the 2024 election.
It believes it has less work to do than the BJP in convincing women voters of its commitment to equality because of its leadership record. “The Congress party has believed in organic growth but the BJP has historically focused on male leadership,” said Netta D’Souza, president of Congress’ women’s wing. “Our party tracks conviction of any candidate regardless of their gender.”
Netta D’Souza, the president of Congress’ women’s wing, is suggesting that the Congress party has a stronger record of gender equality than the BJP due to their focus on organic growth and their commitment to evaluating candidates based on their conviction, rather than their gender. D’Souza is implying that the BJP has historically focused more on male leadership, which could make it harder for the party to convince women voters of its commitment to gender equality. It is important to note that both parties have faced criticism for their treatment of women, and that the issue of gender equality remains a complex and nuanced one in Indian politics.
