With women voters going to take centre stage in the general election and the forthcoming Panchayat election, the three major political parties in Odisha-- BJD, BJP and Congress-- have already started frying on all cylinders to strengthen their women vote banks.
Despite being in the crosshairs of Opposition parties for the sensational Mamita Meher murder case, the ruling BJD has already taken up several programmes to retain its women vote bank, with the Opposition BJP and Congress trying to woo the fair sex voters to their sides on several issues with the increasing rate of crimes against women being on the top of the list.
With the Panchayat election being round the corner, the BJD has already played its cards by reserving 50 per cent seats in Panchayats. In what seems to be a strategy to woo women SHGs, BJD supremo and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has announced that Mission Shakti members will be appointed as 'Bank Mitras' in Panchayats where there are no branches of banks.
This apart, it has been directed to make it sure that the women SHGs should get more works, and if required, to enhance their wages. Cashing in on the rising price of cooking gas, the BJD has already started sending out message that the saffron party is responsible for this and it is with them, as it always used to be.
Pramilla Mallick, government chief whip, said the Odisha government's announcements are not designed to woo voters as it is being alleged. The party never fears losing its vote banks. It has its faith on its workers and voters intact.
On the other hand, the saffron party is trying to fish in the troubled waters. With a view to get the best out of the Mamita case, it is observing bandhs and rallies across the State. The party leaders are hopeful that the issue will help them perform better in the elections.
Terming the BJD's announcements as nothing but 'lollipops', Prabhati Pardia, BJP leader, said the women will reject the sops as what they want most is their safety and security. PM Narendra Modi's welfare schemes will definitely make a difference in empowering the women, she said.
The Congress party will fight the elections by making ‘women's safety’ and ‘justice’ the prime issues. It alleges both the BJD and BJP are neglecting women. "Both the State and the Central governments have precariously failed in giving women social justice and social security," observed Rashmi Mohapatra, Congress leader.
However, political analysts have a different take in this regard. "In past, there were many incidents that could have been used to topple the government. But the opposition parties failed to make the best use of those. It is to be seen how they will manage to take advantages of the present Mamita issue,” observed veteran journalist Prasanna Mohanty.
Notably, in 2019 general elections, women voters comprised 50 per cent of the total electorates.