Haryana polls: Only 87 women ever elected, no woman CM
Since the formation of Haryana in 1966, only 87 women have been elected to the assembly, and none have served as chief minister. In this year's election, a mere 51 women are contesting, most of whom are either backed by political families or hold celebrity status. An analysis of candidates' lists shows the Congress Party has fielded the most women candidates at 12, followed by the Indian National Lok Dal and Bahujan Samaj Party alliance with 11.
Party-wise breakdown of women candidates in Haryana elections
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has nominated 10 women, while the Jannayak Janta Party and Azad Samaj Party alliance have named eight. Historical data from the Haryana Vidhan Sabha reveals that since 2000, only 47 women have become legislators in the state. The 2014 elections saw a record number of women candidates with 13 out of 116 winning their seats. However, this figure dropped to nine in the 2019 elections.
Notable women candidates in the 2024 Haryana elections
Among the women candidates this year are Arti Singh Rao, daughter of Union Minister Rao Inderjit Singh, and Shruti Chaudhary, granddaughter of former Chief Minister Bansi Lal. Both are contesting on a BJP ticket from Ateli and Tosham, respectively. Wrestling icon Vinesh Phogat is also in the fray for Congress in Julana, Jind district, against Kavita Dalal, India's first WWE female wrestler.
Women's representation in Haryana politics: A deeper look
A study by Ashoka University's Triveni Centre for Political Data highlights that women's representation in Haryana has always been a concern due to the state's history of bias and crimes against women. It notes that while the number of women candidates has increased over the years, many elected women MLAs come from affluent political families, leading to a concentration of power within these families. Elections for the 90-member Haryana Assembly will be held on October 5.
