Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Tuesday pushed for more women representation in politics and their empowerment in poll-bound Manipur through a virtual rally, promising women 33 per cent reservation in government jobs, free public transport and strengthening the management of markets run by them.

Priyanka’s stress on creating political space for women or their empowerment is nothing new. She has been pushing the same agenda in Uttar Pradesh as the state in-charge. In Uttar Pradesh, she had released a separate manifesto for women promising 40 per cent reservation for women candidates, three free LPG cylinders to a woman annually, free travel in government buses, among others.

Addressing her first rally for the two-phase polls to be held on February 28 and March 5 for the 60-member Manipur Assembly, Priyanka while promising “a politics of development in Manipur” spent a significant part of her speech on women.

Taking a dig at the ruling BJP and its “mismanagement” of Covid and the “will” of the ruling BJP “to remain in power by any means”, she said, “To develop a state you need a politics that understands the state, understand and accepts all your voices ... and really works hard to resolve the issues. For example, women in Manipur... am so proud of all of you. You are so strong that you stand up for your people when there is a need. You actually keep the history and culture of Manipur alive yet there are so many crime against women, it is just rising every day, low quality of education and hospitals.…”

For the local connect, Priyanka referred to the Ema Keithel (women market). The world’s largest Ema market is in Imphal, having over 5,000 women vendors selling an array of products from traditional attire to vegetables to fish. “Despite the Ema Keithel (women market) structure which was started during the Congress time and strengthened out where actually women got the opportunity to stand on their feet.… You are the pride of Manipur and yet during this corona lockdown you also faced so many problems. The markets were badly managed.”

For things to improve, she said, “You need a government that recognises the equality of women. I am constantly striving to bring women forward, to create an atmosphere in the politics of the country where women are given equal representation in the political space,. ”