Behind every successful woman

Women MLAs: 27

(Maximum from the BSP,which has expressed reservations over the Bill)

• Omwati (BSP): The only woman minister in the Mayawati government,she was elected from Nagina Assembly (SC) seat.

• Umalesh Yadav (BSP): Elected from Bissauli (Badaun),she is the wife of MLA D P Yadav.

• Dharmi Rawat (BSP): A first-time MLA from Sidhaur (SC),she is the wife of former MP Kamla Prasad Rawat.

• Puja Pal (BSP): She is the widow of the late MLA Raju Pal,and represents Allahabad (West) seat.

• Pratibha Shukla (BSP): She is the wife of former MP Anil Shukla Warsi and represents Choubeypur seat (Kanpur).

• Manju Singh (BSP): Wife of late MLA Markandey Singh,she was elected for the first time in 1996 as an Independent.

• Rajni Tewari (BSP): She is the wife of late MLA Upendra Tewari,and represents the Bilgram seat (Hardoi).

• Rajeshwari (BSP): Elected from Bawan (SC),she is the wife of former MLA Bipin Lal.

• Suman Devi (BSP): Wife of late MLA Nathuram Kushwaha,she represents Lalitpur constituency.

• Aruna Tomar (SP): Elected from Kanpur Nagar seat,she is the wife of ex-MLC Lal Singh Tomar.

• Choudhari Fasiha Bashir (SP): Wife of former MLA Choudhari Muhammed Bashir,she was elected from Salempur seat.

• Premlata Devi (BJP): Elected from Atrauli seat,she is the daughter-in-law of ex-CM Kalyan Singh.

BIHAR

Women MLAs: 26

(Most of them,12,from JD-U,which is split on the Women’s Bill)

• Sudha Srivastava (JD-U): Niece of Jaiprakash Narayan,the Nathnagar MLA has been close to CM Nitish Kumar for a long time. She is the state Planning and Development Minister.

• Renu Kumari (JD-U): An MLA from Uda Kisanganj,she holds the Agriculture portfolio. She is said to have earned the seat due to her husband’s participation in the 1974 JP movement.

• Poonam Devi (JD-U): She won from Khagaria after muscleman husband Ranbir Yadav opted out.

• Suchitra Sinha (JD-U): Wife of Nagmani Sinha,who left the JD(U) before the Lok Sabha elections to join the RJD,she won from Kurtha riding on her Kushwaha husband’s caste calculations. Sinha was also a minister in the Nitish government.

• Renu Devi (BJP): She was elected from Betia,and is the Arts,Culture and Youth Affairs Minister.

• Asha Devi (BJP): She got into politics after husband Satyanarain Sinha,a BJP leader,was murdered. She is a first-term MLA.

• Sunila Devi (Congress): The Shekhpura MLA is the daughter-in-law of veteran Bhumihar leader Rajo Singh.

• Rabri Devi (RJD): Wife of strong opponent of the Women’s Bill Lalu Prasad Yadav,she is a former chief minister and current Opposition leader. She represents Raghopur Assembly segment.

• Shanti Sharma (Ind): The wife of rebel JD(U) Lok Sabha MP from Jehanabad,Jagdish Sharma,she won from Ghoshi in a bypoll.

RAJASTHAN

Women MLAs: 29

• Vasundhara Raje (BJP): Former CM and Union minister of state,she represents Jhalrapatan Jhalawar constituency.

• Sidhi Kumari (BJP): Hailing from the erstwhile royal family of Bikaner,she represents the Bikaner East seat.

• Kamla Kaswan (BJP): This MLA from Sadulpur Churu is the wife of sitting BJP MP Ram Singh Kaswan.

• Rohini Kumari (BJP): Hailing from the erstwhile royal family of Karauli,she represents Karauli seat.

• Kanta Garasiya (Cong): Elected from Garhi (ST) Banswara,her father,Hirabhai,was a Congress MP.

• Zahida (Cong): Elected from Kaman Bharatpur,her father,Chowdhary Tayyab Hussain,was an MLA,MP and minister.

• Rita Choudhary (Cong): Elected from Mandawa Jhunjhunu,she is the daughter of veteran Congress leader Ram Narayan Chowdhary.

• Sajjan Katara (Cong): Elected from Udaipur Rural (ST),she is the wife of former minister Khemram Katara.

Golma Devi (Ind): Elected from Mahuwa Dausa,her husband,Kirori Lal Meena,is MP from Dausa.

ANDHRA PRADESH

Women MLAs: 36

Y S Vijayalakshmi (Cong): Wife of late chief minister Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy,she is a first-time MLA from Pulivendula.

P Sabitha Indra Reddy (Cong): Minister for Home,she is the widow of former TDP minister Indra Reddy.

Jayasudha Kapoor (Cong): A popular actress,she defeated former minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav in Secunderabad constituency.

Korla Bharati (Cong): She was elected after her husband and MLA-elect Korla Revatipathi,who was elected from Tekkali,died of a heart attack a day before the swearing-in ceremony.

Suman Rathod (TDP): MLA from Khanapur,she is the wife of the TDP MP from Adilabad,Ramesh Rathod.

Shoba Nagi Reddy (PRP): Elected from Allagadda,she hails from a family of politicians. Her husband Nagi Reddy is a former TDP MP,her father,S V Subba Reddy,is a senior leader from Rayalaseema and a former minister.

MAHARASHTRA

Women MLAs: 10

• Varsha Gaikwad (Cong): A second-time MLA from Dharavi,she is Congress MP Eknath Gaikwad’s daughter.

• Nirmala Gavit (Cong): She is the daughter of Congress veteran and Nandurbar MP Manikrao Gavit. She represents the Adivasi-dominated region of Igatpuri in Nashik.

• Praniti Shinde (Cong): The daughter of Union minister Sushilkumar Shinde,she was elected from Solapur Central.

• Yashomati Thakur (Cong): An advocate and general secretary of the All India Youth Congress,she was elected from Teosa,which was earlier represented by her father,Bhayyasaheb Thakur.

• Shyamal Bagal (NCP): Wife of late NCP MLA Digambar Bagal,she defeated Narayan Rane supporter Jayantrao Jagtap in Karmala.

• Meenakshi Patil (PWP): Hailing from a family of politicians,she represents the family stronghold of Alibag in Raigad district. It is her third term in office since 1995.

• Pankaja Munde (BJP): Daughter of BJP MP Gopinath Munde,she is the only BJP candidate to have won a seat for the party in Beed district.

• Madhuri Misal (BJP): Wife of slain BJP corporator Satish Misal and granddaughter of freedom fighter Keshvarao Deshpande,she was elected from Parvati in Pune.

PUNJAB

Women MLAs: 8

• Rajbans Kaur (Cong): A first-time MLA from Kapurthala,she is the wife of former Punjab MP Rana Gurjit Singh.

• Razia Sultana (Cong): The lone Muslim candidate in the Assembly,she is the wife of a Punjab Inspector General of Police. She was elected from Malerkotla constituency.

• Upinderjit Kaur (SAD): Elected from Sultanpur,her father was a minister.

• Mohinder Kaur Josh (SAD): Daughter of a former MLA,Giani Arjan Singh Josh,she represents the Sham Chaurasi constituency.

HARYANA

Women MLAs: 9

• Kiran Choudhry (Cong): Daughter-in-law of former Haryana CM Bansi Lal,she won the Tosham seat after her husband and sitting MLA Surender Singh died in a chopper crash.

• Savitri Jindal (Cong): She was elected from Hisar after her husband and sitting MLA,O P Jindal,died in the same chopper crash. She is the mother of Congress MP from Kurukshetra Naveen Jindal.

• Shakuntla Khatak (Cong): A nurse by profession,she is known to have taken care of CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s father,Ranbir Singh Hooda,who died last year. She was a surprise choice for the Kalanaur (reserved) ticket.

TAMIL NADU

Women MLAs: 23

• J Jayalalithaa (AIADMK): Former CM and present leader of Opposition,Jayalalithaa represents Andipatty constituency.

• Poongothai Aladi Aruna (DMK): MLA from Alangulam and IT minister in the state Cabinet,she is the daughter of late DMK leader Aladi Aruna.

• Geetha Jeevan (DMK): Elected from Tuticorin and holding the Social Welfare portfolio,she is the daughter of DMK district secretary Periyasamy.

• Latha Adiyaman (DMK): Won the Thirumangalam seat after the death of her husband who was the sitting MLA.

KERALA

Women MLAs: 7

(Plus one nominated Anglo-Indian member)

• K S Saleeka (CPM): The only Muslim woman MLA,she entered politics after the enactment of 33 per cent reservation for women in local bodies. Elected from Sreekrishnapuram,she was earlier a member of Palakkad district panchayat.

• P K Sreemathi (CPM): A central committee member,she is the lone woman representative in the state Cabinet. Elected from Payyanoor,she is the sister-in-law of E P Jayarajan,a CPM central committee member.

• K K Lathila (CPM): Elected from Meppayoor,she is the wife of CPM Kozhikode district secretariat member P Mohanan.

GUJARAT

Women MLAs: 15

• Maya Kodnani (BJP): Elected from Naroda,her father was an active RSS member.

• Varsha Doshi (BJP): Elected from Wadhwan,her father is an active RSS member.

• Bhanuben Babariya (BJP): Elected from Rajkot Rural (SC),she is the daughter-in-law of former MP Madhu Babariya.

• Jashuben Korat (BJP): Her husband was a three-time MLA and former state transport minister. She was elected from Jetpur after his death.

• Bhavna Makwana (BJP): Elected from Talaja,her husband is a BJP district secretary.

• Anandi Patel (BJP): Her husband was the BJP general secretary in Ahmedabad.

WEST BENGAL

Women MLAs: 34

Of the total women MLAs,23 are from the CPM,2 from Forward Bloc,3 from RSP,3 from Trinamool Congress,1 from Congress,1 from Jharkhand Party,1 from GNLF.

• In the CPM,apart from swimmer Bula Choudhuri and Tamalika Panda Seth,wife of party leader Laxman Seth,all the other women MLAs are local party leaders who rose from the ranks.

• Firoza Bibi (Trinamool Congress): The mother of a ‘martyr’ of Nandigram land agitation,she was elected from Nandigram.

CHHATTISGARH

Women MLAs: 10

• Renu Jogi (Cong): Wife of former CM Ajit Jogi,she was elected from Kota.

• Pratima Chandrakar (Cong): Representing Durg (rural) constituency,she is the daughter of Congress veteran Vasudeo Chandrakar.

• Lata Usendi (BJP): She hails from a political family that has been associated with the BJP for years. After winning the Kondagaon (ST) seat for two consecutive terms,she is the lone woman minister in the BJP government.

• Neelima Singh Tekka (BJP): She was elected from Dondilohara (ST) constituency after the party denied a ticket to her husband and sitting MLA Lal Mahendra Singh Tekam.

ASSAM

Women MLAs: 13

• Bithika Deb (Cong): Wife of former MP and former Union minister Santosh Mohan Deb,she was elected from Silchar.

• Uttara Kalita (Cong): Widow of Congress leader Benudhar Kalita,she represents Kamalpur.

• Jibantara Ghatowar (Cong): Wife of Congress MP and former Union minister Paban Singh Ghatowar,she represents Moran constituency.

• Pranati Phukan (Cong): Widow of former Dibrugarh District Congress Committee president Hari Phukan,this three-time MLA from Naharkatiya is the Deputy Speaker.

• Jonjonali Barua (Cong): Widow of Morigaon district Congress president Khirode Barua,who was killed by ULFA,she was first elected from Morigaon in 2001.

• Ajanta Neog (Cong): Elected from Golaghat,she is the widow of former Congress minister Nagen Neog,who was killed by the ULFA in 1996. She is also the daughter of veteran Congress leader and former MLA Rebati Das.

• Alaka Sarma (AGP): Wife of AASU leader and former MLA Nagen Sarma,she was elected from Nalbari after he was killed in a blast.

• Sushila Hazarika (AGP): Widow of Nalin Hazarika,an AGP candidate who was killed in 1991,she was first elected from Dergaon in 1991.

NAGALAND

Women MLAs: 0

MEGHALAYA

Women MLAs: 1

Despite the fact that all the three principal tribes — Khasi,Garo and Jaintia — are matrilineal,there is only one woman MLA.

• Ampareen Lyngdoh (Cong): The younger sister of prominent Congress leader and former minister R G Lyngdoh,she was elected from Laitumkhrah.

MANIPUR

Women MLAs: 1

• Okram Landhoni Devi (Cong): She is the wife of Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh. She was elected from Khangabok constituency.

ARUNACHAL PRADESH

Women MLAs: 2

• Nang Sati Mein (Ind): Wife of veteran Congress MLA and minister Chowna Mein,she represents Namsai constituency.

l Karya Bagang (Trinamool Congress): Wife of Tara Bagang,District Congress president,she was elected from Chayangtajo constituency.

TRIPURA

Women MLAs: 3

All the three women legislators are first-time MLAs who rose from the cadres.

KARNATAKA

Women MLAs: 5

(plus one nominated member)

• BJP MLAs Seema Ashok Masuti,Shobha Karandlaje,Mallika Prasad rose from the ranks.

Anita Kumaraswamy (JD-S): Wife of MP and former Karnataka chief minister H D Kumaraswamy,son of former prime minister H D Deve Gowda,she was elected from Madhugiri.

• Kalpana Siddaraju (JD-S): A housewife with little political experience,she was elected from Maddur after the death of her husband and MLA M S Siddaraju.

JHARKHAND

Women MLAs: 8

• Geeta Koda (Ind): Wife of former chief minister Madhu Koda,who is now behind bars,she won the Jagannathpur (ST) seat.

• Geetashri Oraon (Cong): Wife of Arun Oraon,an IPS officer belonging to the Punjab cadre,this MLA from Sisai (ST) is the youngest daughter of former Congress MP and Union minister Kartik Oraon. Her mother was also a Congress MP.

• Anapurna Devi (RJD): After her husband and MLA Ramesh Yadav was killed,she has represented Koderma constituency for four consecutive terms since 1998.

• Sudha Choudhary (JD-U): Her brother is Bihar Assembly Speaker Uday Narayan Choudhary. After losing twice as the BSP candidate,she won the Chattarpur seat as the JD(U) candidate in 2009.

• Sita Soren (JMM): Daughter-in-law of JMM president and Chief Minister Shibu Soren,she represents Jama (ST) constituency.

• Kunti Singh (BJP): Her husband,Surajdeo Singh,was a coal mafia don-turned-MLA. After he was killed,she won the Jharaia constituency.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

Women MLAs: 5

• Vidya Stokes (Cong): A seven-time MLA,she is the daughter-in-law of the late Satyanand Stokes,who is credited with revolutionising the state’s fruit economy. She represents Kumarsein constituency.

• Urmil Thakur (BJP): This two-time MLA from Hamirpur is the daughter-in-law of senior BJP leader Jagdev Chand.

• Renu Chadha (BJP): A first-time MLA from Banikhet,her late husband,Ashok Chadha,was a political activist.

• Vinod Kumari Chandel (BJP): She is the widow of former MLA Ram Partap Chandel,and represents the Paonta-Doon Baddi-Barotiwala constituency.

JAMMU & KASHMIR

Women MLAs: 5

• Mehbooba Mufti (PDP): Daughter of PDP patron and former CM Mufti Mohammad Sayeed,she is also her party’s president. Mehbooba has represented the PDP in Parliament.

• Sakina Ittoo (NC): Daughter of slain NC leader Wali Mohammad Itoo,she represents Noorabad constituency.

• Indu Pawar (Cong): Wife of a retired chief engineer,she was nominated to the Assembly for the first time in 2008. Her mother was also a Congress MLC.

• Shamima Firdous (NC): MLA from Habbakadal,she won the support of the Kashmiri pandits who form a sizeable section of the electorate in her constituency.

— Sanjay Singh,Santosh Singh,Apurva,Sreenivas Janyala,Swatee Kher,Gautam Dheer,Mukesh Bhardwaj,Gopu Mohan,Shaju Philip,Ayesha Khan,Bidyut Roy,Joseph John,Samudra Gupta Kashyap,Johnson T A,Manoj Prasad,Ashwani Sharma,Arun Sharma