Priyanka's 40 pc tickets to women announcement: Maha Cong chief welcomes move

It was late Rajiv Gandhi who decided to give 33 per cent reservation for women in local governing bodies. In Maharashtra, the Congress increased the reservation to 50 per cent, Patole said.Late Rajiv Gandhi opened the doors of armed forces for women.

Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole on Tuesday welcomed the decision of his party's general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to reserve 40 per cent of tickets in the Uttar Pradesh polls for women.

The Congress will give 40 per cent of tickets to women in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections beginning next year, party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had said during the day in Lucknow.

''We want women in politics to become a full-fledged partner in power,'' she had told reporters.

In a statement issued here, Patole said the decision was a revolutionary step to offer equal rights and opportunities to women, adding the the Congress always gave opportunities all sections of society.

''In the past, late Mahatma Gandhi encouraged women to participate in the freedom fight. It was late Rajiv Gandhi who decided to give 33 per cent reservation for women in local governing bodies. In Maharashtra, the Congress increased the reservation to 50 per cent," Patole said.

"Late Rajiv Gandhi opened the doors of armed forces for women. It was the Congress government that decided to offer equal rights to women and daughters in property," he added.

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