Congress' 1st list features 50 women candidates; Unnao rape victim's mother gets ticket

On Thursday, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra released the party's first list of 125 candidates for the UP elections which features 50 women. Addressing a virtual press conference, Vadra contended that these candidates would help usher in a new style of politics in the country. Some of the prominent candidates include Congress Legislative Party leader Aradhana Misra-Mona, Congress media panellist Pankhuri Pathak, actor Archana Gautam, ex-Bareilly Mayor Supriya Aron and Mahila Congress general secretary Shamina Shafiq.

ASHA worker Poonam Pandey who was allegedly beaten by the police while agitating for a raise in honorarium, the mother of the Unnao rape victim and activist Sadaf Jafar who was arrested during the anti-CAA protests were also given poll tickets. Additionally, former Union Minister Salman Khurshid's wife and ex-MLA Louise Khurshid will contest the Assembly election once again. The upcoming election shall be held in 7 phases beginning February 10 whereas the counting of votes will take place on March 10. 

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra remarked, "We have tried to include candidates who have struggled and can start a new form of politics in the country. 40% of the candidates in this list are women and 40% of candidates are youths. We are hopeful that we can commence a new form of politics in the state and the country via these candidates. The women candidates include some journalists, one actor, women who have struggled hard in the party for years, one odd district president and women who faced a lot of atrocities in their life and fought against them and some social activists." 

Here is the first list of candidates

Congress' thrust on UP elections

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra faces an uphill task of reviving the party in UP, where it won only 7 seats in the 2017 Assembly polls. This time, the party has decided to go solo in the polls. On October 23, she flagged off the "Pratigya Yatra" in Barabanki. During the course of the Yatra which culminated on November 1, Congress leaders held multiple public meetings to ensure that the people are well acquainted with the promises. On this occasion, she also unveiled Congress' seven promises for the UP polls, which include the waiver of farm loans and electricity bills, and government jobs to 20 lakh people. 

In another major promise, the Congress general secretary revealed that any disease will be treated free of cost if her party wins the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls. She added that the government shall bear each patient's treatment expenses up to Rs 10 lakh. Some of the party's other promises are the allocation of 40% of election tickets to women, the procurement of wheat and paddy at Rs 2500 per quintal and procurement of sugarcane at Rs 400 per quintal. Congress has also promised three free gas cylinders per year, free travel for women in government buses and an honorarium of Rs 10,000 per month for ASHA, Anganwadi workers.