dehradun

Updated: Jan 05, 2017 16:57 IST

BJP’s woman leaders in Uttarakhand will seek intervention of senior party leader and union home minister Rajnath Singh for reserving at least 30% tickets for them to contest the ensuing assembly polls.

The woman leaders, including some ticket hopefuls, will call on Singh during his visit to the state on December 12 for concluding event of ‘Parivartan Yatra’ in Garhwal region. The hill state goes to the polls early next year.

Seema Chauhan, the secretary of BJP state unit, on Thursday expressed her dissatisfaction over treatment given to the party’s woman leaders.

“Women leaders are a mere showpiece. Male leaders take the centre stage while dealing with the party’s national leaders. They do not even allow us to welcome national leaders at helipad,” said Chauhan, a ticket hopeful from Jaspur seat.

“We will demand our right to contest in elections during the meeting with the union minister.”

Shailendra Singh Singhal, who won from Jaspur constituency on a Congress ticket in 2012, joined the BJP early this month and likely to get party nomination from the seat.

Chauhan said, “The BJP conducted a survey in which I was the leading candidate, but they gave preference to a male candidate over me.”

Rajkumari Giri, the BJP state unit vice-president, has sought a party ticket for the third time from Rudrapur seat. BJP’s Raj Kumar Thaukral is the sitting MLA from the seat. “The BJP gives woman leaders ticket from where it knows it will lose,” she said.

The BJP women leaders also want to fight the poll against sitting women MLAs of the ruling Congress.

To challenge cabinet minister and MLA Haldwani Indira Hridayesh, two woman BJP leaders Shanti Devi and Renu Adhikari have sought party nomination. The minister defeated Adhikari in the 2012 polls.

Considering Adhikari again on the seat seems difficult for the party. “The party will look for a strong male candidate to compete against Hridayesh on Haldwani,” a BJP leaders said requesting anonymity.

Kusum Kandwal, the BJP state unit vice-president, has sought party nomination from Yamkeshwar, where party’s Vijaya Barthwal is the sitting MLA. Similarly, Sushila Baloni wants to contest from Mussoorie constituency, which is being represented in the outgoing assembly by BJP’s Ganesh Joshi.