Named as the United Women’s Front (UWF) and mostly comprising women’s rights activists, the party is hosting a home-maker zealous about women’s welfare from Hunsur constituency in Mysore district.

UWF, headed by women’s rights activist Suman Krishnakant, (wife of former vice-president Krishnakant), got registered as a political party, recently during September 2007.

Having members in many of the states, the party is set for its first take into electoral politics by fielding its candidate in State Assembly elections.

United Women’s Front’s  Mysore unit president and a home-maker, K S Nandini, has ventured as its sole candidate in the State from Hunsur. From a new party having no funds to support its candidates, Nandini is relying on her own finances.

Equal opportunities

The party’s main objective is to ensure equal opportunities to women in all spheres, especially in politics.

Nandini says: “Much against the long time demand of 33 per cent representation to women, major political parties have given only 4 to 5 per cent representation to women candidates. And many Government schemes are not reaching women properly which can be remedied by increasing the number of women representatives in State Assemblies and the Parliament.”

While the party has no symbol yet, Nandini has chosen “drum (Nagari)” for her candidature serving as launch-pad for her party.

Nandini is into door-to-door campaigning during which her businessman husband accompanies her. Star-campaigners for her are UWF’s Bangalore unit president Dhanalakshmi, Bihar unit’s Usha Singh, UP’s Usha Thakur and party’s poll advisor Shivashankar Singh alone.

Good response

Nandini says there is good response from women as well as men folk about her candidature. Women are happy and optimistic that a lady candidate might turn sensitive to their unresolved grievances.

As to her winning chances, Nandini says: “I should keep my hopes low since I am contesting against big shots. It is a programme for launching my party and I am taking the contest sportively.