Daijiworld Media Network - Tumkur (MS)

Tumakuru, Oct 1: "In the present political scenario, if women have to be successful in politics, they should be financially strong. Otherwise, they should have a godfather. If they lack both, then they should be a girlfriend of any powerful male politician," said Leeladevi R Prasad, former minister.

Leeladevi was speaking at the interactive programme of 'Chunavana - Ola, Horage Mahileyaru', organised under the joint aegis of Karnataka State Association against Atrocities on Women and District Kannada Sahitya Parishad at the Kannada Bhavana in the city.

Leeladevi R Prasad

Continuing her speech, Leeladevi expressed her disgust by saying, "All the male politicians and the political parties are the same. It took me 40 years to get into the Vidhana Soudha. Even though I was elected as corporator thrice, I was not given MLA ticket to contest from Bengaluru. I, who served as the activist of the party and who supplied food and newspapers for the leaders of the party who were in prison during the emergency was asked to search for the constituency to compete in the assembly elections," she said.

"I, who was in the selection committee of candidates, gave tickets to female candidates in 18 districts. However, the party did not give me the ticket to contest from Bengaluru. I was given a ticket from Athani as no one was interested to contest from that constituency. I entered the assembly due to the blessings of the people of Athani. Most of the people think that I am from Athani," she added.

"In the present day, social service and politics are being commercialized. The cancer called 'Caste' in politics cannot be eradicated by any medicine. Though the time and system have changed, women have not been given the power to take decisions. Though there are 110 women members in the BBMP, the actual rule is done by their husbands. Women hesitate to take own decisions and provide able administration, even though there are opportunities. For the same reason till now it is not possible to form an all-women party," added Leeladevi.

Speaking on the occasion, C J Manjula, journalist said, "Women are kept off the politics saying that they are ineligible. In the 2014 parliamentary elections, a highest number of MPs with criminal background have got elected to Lok Sabha. Because the politics has gone into the hands of people like this, women have kept a distance from politics. We are not able to get a reservation for women since 1996. How to get this? How to change the present system? How to control the criminal politics, are the challenges of today."

"Politics is being criminalized and a situation like 'Note for Vote' is created in the country. Though 48% of the voters are women in the state of Karnataka, only 8% have contested in the assembly elections. This makes us suspect that whether we are in a democracy," added journalist Manjula.

Dr Arundhati gave the introduction. Kamala Gangahanumaiah, former president of zilla panchayat, B H Ramakumari, district president of Karnatka Sahitya Parishad and H V Manjunath, lawyer, spoke on the occasion.

Padmashree Soolagithi Narasamma, Rita Shivamurthy, Jeevarathna, Prof G M Srinivasaiah, Pavagada Sriram and members of the corporation Roopashree, Chandrakala, Akila, Shainanagaraju and Rani Chandrashekhar were present.