Mokokchung, February 21 (MExN): February 23, 2013 will determine whether Nagaland will make history in electoral politics by electing a woman to the Nagaland Legislative Assembly. The state goes to poll on February 23 and among the 187 candidates contesting in the 60 assembly constituencies there are only two women candidates.
While there have been women candidates in the past elections, the chances of securing a seat seems probable. Dr. Yangerla, a former bureaucrat, is contesting as Independent candidate in the 27 Mokokchung Town Assembly Constituency against sitting Congress MLA C Apok Jamir and new entrant NPF candidate Rusemtong Longkumer. The other woman candidate, Rakhila Lakhiumong, wife of former minister A. Lakhiumong is contesting on a BJP ticket against Congress candidate Inmongba Chang and sitting MLA and NPF candidate Kejong Chang in 54 Tuensang Sadar II A/C.
The talk among political observers is whether Nagaland will see the first woman MLA in the legislative assembly after fifty years of statehood. “There has never been a time when a female candidate had more hopes of winning than Dr. Yangerla and M Rakhila,” said a political observer who does not wished to be named.
Dr. Yangerla is a new entrant to politics. Born and brought up in Mokokchung, she is a well known figure in the town, which makes her supporters and agents hope for ‘goodwill’ votes from residents. Though the NPF and Congress candidates, both sons of veteran Congress politicians, signify tough competition, her supporters feel she has an edge and are hopeful that she might win since the NPF and Congress candidates are locked in a straight fight. Some supporters are of the view that Mokokchung Town A/C, consisting of some five thousand seven hundred voters, has educated working youths who have no party affiliation and might vote for the most capable one among the three. The glitch is, Mokokchung Town A/C is considered to be a Congress bastion.
M Rhakhila Lakhiumong is no stranger to politics. The 61 year old is the widow of former minister Late A. Lakhiumong. She contested twice, the last being the 2008 state assembly election where she narrowly lost as NCP candidate to then Congress candidate Kejong Chang.
“Forget manifestos, forget the political parties; in Nagaland candidates really matter. And if Rakhila could prove to be a formidable contender to a Congress candidate in 2008, then surely she has some surprises this time round too,” commented a political observer here. BJP candidate Rakhila could not be contacted for comments; it is learnt that she is campaigning in the interior villages of her constituency.
What makes this 2013 election challenging for the two women candidates is that they are contesting at a time when the debate over 33 per cent reservation for women in town and municipal councils is fresh. The DAN government that passed an Act in 2006 on the reservation backtracked after some years. Some of the prominent social organizations were not receptive to reservation for women on the ground that it is against culture and tradition of Naga society. They have however no problem with regard to any women contesting in the municipal or even assembly elections.
“It is not that I support women reservation but I am voting for Dr. Yangerla as I am happy to see a woman from our town is contesting the election. I hope she gets elected.” said a male voter in 27 Mokokchung Town A/C.
Dr Yanglerla asserts she wants to represent the people of the town, not necessarily women in particular. She feels that she is ‘already a winner’ because she has already inspired a lot of women to courageously participate in election.
President of the Naga Mothers Association, Abei-ü Meru, while extending best wishes to the two women candidates, expressed hope that they get elected and bring some ‘new wine in new bottle’.
Nagaland has a total electorate of 11,93,438, out of which male voters are 6,03,933 and female voters are 5,89,505, according to figures released by the office of the Chief Electoral Officer of the state.
