Unfair representation of fair sex in Karnataka LS polls

Despite political parties' much expressed concern for an increased representation of women in the Lok Sabha, just four women from major parties have been fielded in Karnataka for the General Elections.

Despite political parties' much expressed concern for an increased representation of women in the Lok Sabha, just four women from major parties have been fielded in Karnataka for the General Elections.

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The Congress has decided to field senior leader Margaret Alva in Uttara Kannada and Tejaswani Gowda in Bangalore Rural out of the 28 seats it is contesting.

Tejaswani, who made political debut in 2004 when she contested against JDS supremo H D Devegowda in erstwhile Kanapura Parliamentary constituency, turned to be a giant killer for the Congress when she defeated the former Prime Minister, leaving him in the third position.

She won with a margin of 1,16,663 votes against Ramchandra Gowda of BJP. This time, she is pitted against Gowda's son and JDS state President, H D Kumaraswamy from Bangalore Rural. The Congress sprung a surprise when they announced the candidature of Margaret Alva.

Alva who had ran into the bad books of the Congress High Command when she alleged that the tickets had been given to the highest bidder in Karnataka in the last Assembly elections.

Alva pipped State President R V Deshpande, who had been looking for ticket to his son, Prashanth. Both the Congress women candidates have caused much of heartburn among their male counterparts as they managed to secure tickets in their respective constituencies despite some Congress heavyweights opposing their candidatures.