Give 40% Seats To Women In Other States As Well: TMC Alleges Congress' 'Emulating' Move As 'Tokenism'

"Amid such dire times, Congress is understandably trying to emulate and one can only hope that this is genuine and not tokenism", TMC's tweet read.

Mamata Banerjee (Left) & Priyanka Gandhi (Right)

New Delhi: The Trinamool Congress in a series of tweets claimed that they were the first to assure 40% seats to women during the Lok Sabha elections which the Congress party copied and announced for Uttar Pradesh.

These tweets come after the Congress party announced that it has decided to give 40% of its tickets to women in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections 2022.

Under the visionary leadership of @MamataOfficial, AITC has shown the way to ensure increased participation of women in politics, in this country. We're the first party to give 40% seats to women in LS elections! (1/2)

— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) October 20, 2021

TMC further took a dig at Congress saying that one can only hope that it is genuine and not tokenism adding that if they are to be taken seriously they should do the same for other states as well.

"If they are to be taken seriously, they must give 40% seats to women in states other than UP as well," the tweet read.

Amid such dire times, @INCIndia is understandably trying to emulate and one can only hope that this is genuine and not tokenism. If they are to be taken seriously, they must give 40% seats to women in states other than UP as well. (2/2)

— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) October 20, 2021

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra made the announcement while addressing a press conference from the party office in Lucknow on Tuesday. This, in turn, has shone the light on the problem of the under-representation of women in Uttar Pradesh's polity.

She said that the decision is aimed at making women full-fledged partners in power. Tasked with regaining the party's lost ground in the politically crucial state, Priyanka Gandhi, said, It's the party promise to give 40 per cent tickets to women in the coming elections. Had I had my way, I would have given 50 per cent tickets to them, she said, adding the decision to field more and more candidates would be taken forward in the 2024 polls

"Priyanka Gandhi's announcement of giving 40 per cent tickets to women in Uttar Pradesh (Assembly polls) is a welcome step. The Congress party has given a woman president and prime minister to the country, but the BJP has not been able to make a woman even the president of its party to date," Gehlot said in a tweet welcoming the decision.

However, this decision did not go down well with its opponents BJP and BSP both terming the move a pure election drama.