Of 161 Cong district,city heads,only 2 are women

While Congress is yet to officially release the list,circulated at eight divisional levels,a copy of the list compiled for AICC general secretary Madhusudan Mistry is available with The Indian Express.

At a meeting with the newly appointed office bearers in New Delhi on June 29,Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi had promised to ensure up to 50 per cent representation of women in AICC and other party wings. Article VI-A of constitution of the Indian National Congress says,“Thirty three per cent of the seats in different committees shall be reserved for women.” The Congress President has the right to relax this norm.

Kanchan Pandey (38),selected as president of Mirzapur City Congress Committee,is the only woman head in the list of 123 district and city presidents in the state.

Kanchan admitted that during the recent meeting of newly appointed district,city and acting presidents called by Madhusudan Mistry in Lucknow,she was among the only two women representatives.

“It is true that women representation after the latest reshuffle is low but party high command must have thought about it. As far as I am concerned,I have decided to encourage women in the formation of city committee under me,” Pandey said.

She added,she was part of ‘Mahila Congress’ and had applied for the post during the recent re-shuffle.

The second woman in the list,Deepti Singh (42) has been made acting district president of Kanpur Dehat.

Deepti said,“In politics,it is tough for women. I will personally ensure at least one-third members in Congress committee in Kanpur Dehat are women.”