New Delhi: As the assembly elections in politically crucial Uttar Pradesh draw closer, the Congress is leaving no stone unturned to reach out to the women voters.


As part of the women-centered poll campaign ‘Ladki Hoon, Lad Sakti Hoon’, the Congress organised a ‘mahila marathon’ in Uttar Pradesh’s Jhansi city on Sunday.


Raising the ‘Ladki Hoon, Lad Sakti Hoon’ slogan, thousands of women and girls participated in the marathon in Jhansi, news agency ANI reported.


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The Congress’ event, however, proved a non-starter in Uttar Pradesh capital Lucknow as the administration denied permission for the marathon in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.


Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra hit out at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government for denying permission for the event in Lucknow.


“Yogi Adityanath ji, you talk anti-women......like about controlling girls. That's why you didn't allow girls' marathon in Lucknow. Girls of Jhansi have sent you a message that girls will not tolerate, will fight for their rights. If you can rally, girls will run too,” she tweeted sharing the video of the marathon race in Jhansi. 



With all eyes set on the throne of Lucknow, the Congress leader had earlier on December 8 rolled out the party’s ‘women’s manifesto’ with a bunch of promises. 


Asserting the “Congress is committed to give equal rights and respect to women power”, Gandhi said women empowerment is possible “only when women get equal rights and get respect”.


“Will make education accessible to daughters by giving them smartphones and electronic scooters on an educational basis. Congress will fulfill the promise made with daughters. Congress will make the education of daughters accessible,” she read reading out the manifesto while addressing a press conference in Lucknow, ANI reported.


The BJP emerged victorious in the 2017 polls, winning 312 seats in the 403-member Uttar Pradesh Assembly.


The Samajwadi Party (SP) won 47 seats and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) bagged 19 seats.


The Congress, however, failed to make an impression in the 2017 elections and managed to win only seven seats.