Shillong, April 8 (IANS) What an irony! In a matrilineal state like Meghalaya, a lone woman is in the fray, that too as an independent candidate, in the Lok Sabha polls in the state.
No political party has fielded a woman in the polls for the state's two Lok Sabha seats - Shillong and Tura - that will go to the polls April 9.
Agatha K. Sangma, the youngest parliamentarian in the current Lok Sabha, decided to stay away, making room for her father and former Lok Sabha speaker Purno A. Sangma who has represented the Tura constituency nine times.
A total of 968,958 voters, including 495,070 females, will vote in Shillong, while 584,070 electors, including 288,247 females, will cast their ballot in Tura.
Ivoryna Shylla, the 65-year-old lone woman candidate and one among the eight candidates from Shillong, is fighting the polls on the plank of women's issues.
"I decided to contest on seeing that there was no woman candidate in the polls," Shylla told IANS.
For Shylla, this is her third electoral battle. She had earlier unsuccessfully contested the assembly elections in 1983 and 1993 from the Nongbah Wahiajer and Laitumkhrah assembly constituencies respectively.
"I am not worried as my spirit is high with the unexpected support from all sections of society, especially women," said the former president of Meghalaya's Bharatiya Janata Party Mahila Morcha who quit the party long time back.
"My main focus is to fight for women's rights in our state which was known to be safe and secure for women in the past," Shylla said.
However, several women feel females should have also thrown their hat into the electoral battle in the matrilineal state.
"I was expecting more women to contest the election after the performance of women in the assembly and district autonomous council elections," said Diana Sohtun, a college student.
The seven male candidates include sitting Congress parliamentarian Vincent H. Pala and sitting United Democratic Party leader Paul Lyngdoh.
But Padmashree awardee Patricia Mukhim said women in Meghalaya have always shied away from politics because the social structure is still seen as a male domain where money and muscle play a critical role.
"Khasi women are barred from decision-making roles in local bodies. Women who engage with politics are labelled 'hens that crow'. These are disincentives for women to join politics and contest elections," said Mukhim, also a well-known journalist and editor of an English newspaper.
Amena Passah, who teaches history in the North Eastern Hill University (NEHU), said women have been socially active but politically passive in the state.
"A traditional saying 'when the hen crows, the world will come to an end', is a subtle way of discouraging women from coming out to a political platform," Passah said.
Sociologist Rekha Shangpliang said the participation of women in politics was not a question of who wields power, because even in a patriarchal society, women do exercise power through the role of mother as opposed to roles as wife and sister.
State Urban Affairs Minister Mazel Ampareen Lyngdoh, one of the four elected women legislators in the 60-member assembly, however, said the Lok Sabha was a different level of politics where not anyone can throw a hat in the electoral battle.
The lone Rajya Sabha seat for Meghalaya is occupied by Congress leader Wansuk Syiem, the first woman from the state to have been elected to the upper house.
New Dhansu phone launched for just 10 thousand rupees, will get a 50MP camera and 13GB RAM
Amazon Deal On Smartphone: Another phone has been launched in the segment of 10 thousand, the Tecno POVA 4, whose look, camera, and battery are quite good. Recently, many good options have come in
If coal is exhausted, 5 to 6 house lights out of every 10 in India will go off, know in how many years coal will be exhausted from the world
We had a lot of fun over coal. No? So by now, you must have come to know what all the hustle and bustle is on. That's why I will not talk about the India rating report which says that by October 10,
Weather Update Today: Heavy rain alert in UP- Bihar, Red alert in Uttarakhand, know the weather of Delhi-NCR
Due to the low-pressure area formed over the Bay of Bengal, there may be light or heavy rain in some states including West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, East Rajasthan, Bihar, UP, Delhi
US Supreme Court order - fundamental right to have a gun: a century-old New York gun law was repealed, Biden angry with the court's decision
Due to the incidents of mob firing in America, the demand for a ban on openly carrying guns there had intensified. Meanwhile, in the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen case, the US
Why are ships jammed to enter America?
Global supply chains are facing a lot of difficulties. Cargo ships, also known as containers or cargo ships, are lined up on the shores of major ports in California."We are facing an unprecedented
ICMR Testing Guidelines: Corona test can be done if symptoms are seen, which people will not be tested - ICMR issued advisory
COVID 19 Testing Advisory: ICMR has issued a new advisory for the testing of Covid-19 in India, in which the complete details of who should get tested and who should not. According to the new advisory
Haryana: DC got powers to investigate corruption, now he will be able to investigate complaints up to one crore rupees
Haryana government has given more powers to the DC to investigate corruption cases. Now DC will be able to investigate corruption cases, charges up to Rs 1 crore. Complaints of financial
Lawrence gang shooters were present on Munawwar's flight: a Hotel in Delhi was also raided, comedian targeted due to Salman and his statements.
After the murder of NCP leader Baba Siddiqui, comedian Munawar Farooqui is now the target of gangster Lawrence. Mumbai Crime Branch recently revealed that Munawar's name is included in the gangster's
Udhayanidhi Stalin: 'Modi to divert attention...': Udhayanidhi Stalin clarifies his statement on Sanatan Dharma, taunts BJP
Controversy is continuously increasing over the alleged controversial statement given by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin's son Udhayanidhi Stalin regarding Sanatan Dharma. Many people including
Deaths of Russians: Hotelier worried over the death of two Russian tourists in Odisha, demands this from CM Patnaik
The mysterious death of two Russian tourists in Odisha's Raigad district has raised concerns among hoteliers. He has written a letter to CM Naveen Patnaik saying that this will affect the hotel
