Field woman candidate from city, ex-Mayor urges Rahul

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, January 15

Former Mayor Poonam Sharma today urged Congress president Rahul Gandhi to field woman candidate for the Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat.

Addressing mediapersons here, the city Mahila Cong president said, “If the BJP or the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) can field women candidates for the Lok Sabha elections, why cannot Congress president Rahul Gandhi. If it happens, it will be a landmark decision of the Congress, as the party has not chosen a woman candidate from the City Beautiful so far.”

In a letter to Rahul Gandhi, Poonam Sharma demanded that this time, a woman candidate should be given ticket for the Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat this time. She added that the candidate should be from the city, who was familiar with the local issues as well as dedicated and determined to bring about a change.

The ex-Mayor stated that instead of fielding a celebrity, someone from the city should be given an opportunity. She said she had already got a feedback from various social organisations and city residents, who were of the view that the Congress should field a woman candidate.

“Today, women and men are equal. Their capability to work is similar, which is evident from my performance as a mayor in 2015 when I worked effectively for the betterment of the city,” she claimed.