17th UP Legislative Assembly to have a record 38 women candidates

Lucknow: The famous saying "women are the leaders everywhere you look" fits best in the present political scenario in Uttar Pradesh where out of 96 women candidates fielded in the just concluded assembly polls, a record 38 women MLAs have won, the highest since Independence.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) gave tickets to 43 women, the highest among all political parties. Of these, 32 made it to the Legislative Assembly.

Two women each from the Mayawati-led Bahujan samaj Party and Congress and one each from Samajwadi Party and Apna Dal have been elected.

In the first UP assembly election in 1952, a total number of 20 women were elected. 31 women made it to the Legislative Assembly in the year 1985. The figures fluctuated after that but it got a boost in previous assembly polls.

In 2012 UP Assembly elections, a record number of 35 women were elected.

Party-wise comparison of number of women getting tickets:

In 2012

- BJP remained the highest with 42 women candidates.

- BSP had awarded tickets to 33 female candidates.

- SP had fielded 34 women candidates.

In 2017

- BJP remained at the top by fielding highest number of 43 candidates.

- SP-Congress alliance gave tickets to 33 women.

- BSP gave tickets to 20 women candidates.