Kozhikode: Though the women voters in Kerala are more in number than their male counterparts (1,31,11,189 against 1,22,97,403), their representation as candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha poll is minimal. However, both the LDF and the UDF are now banking on the 'mother' element to woo voters and hold gatherings against 'patriarchy' and 'political killings'.
When the CPM started 'Vanitha Parliament' with prominent women leaders along with the candidates in every constituency, the Congress has gone for a signature campaign against Periya twin murders in Kasaragod.
The aim of both the programmes is to increase the participation of women in electioneering. According to the CPM leaders, Janadhipathya Mahila Association started the 'Vanitha Parliament' as a continuation of the awareness programmes that kicked off with the 'Women's Wall'. In the coming days, they are planning to include more women organisations from the Left front and widen the reach.
The party is also planning to start special squad for women in all the booths. Already, training has been imparted to the women organisers to lead the sessions at the booth level.
Health minister and CPM central committee member K K Shylaja inaugurated the 'Vanitha Parliament' in Thalassery and Koothuparamba Assembly constituencies on Sunday. On Wednesday, CPM politburo member Brinda Karat inaugurated the event in Kannur in the presence of LDF's candidate P K Sreemathi.
The Congress, on the other hand, has started a signature campaign against the killing of two Youth Congress workers – Sharathlal (Joshi) and Kripesh at Periya – allegedly by the CPM workers. A ' protest committee of mothers, gathered at Kallyott, earlier this week decided to collect a minimum of one lakh signatures from mothers against the murders. These mothers would also demand for a fair probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation.
