Moved to tears over denial of party ticket in successive elections: Pushpa Amarnath

State Mahila Congress chief Pushpa Amarnath addressing a press conference in Mysuru on Monday. | Photo Credit: M.A. Sriram

Mahila Congress chief Pushpa Amarnath said on Monday that, she is moved to tears whenever she recalls the denial of party ticket to her in successive elections.

Addressing a press conference in Mysuru on Monday to canvass for support to Congress candidate in the ensuing elections to the Legislative Council from South Teachers’ constituency, Ms. Amarnath admitted that she was disappointed over the party’s denial of a ticket to her during the Assembly elections of 2018 as well as 2023, besides elections to the Legislative Council from local authorities’ constituency of Mysuru and Chamarajanagar and Lok Sabha elections of 2024.

Fighting back tears, Ms. Amarnath said she is moved to tears whenever she recalls the denial of party ticket to her. However, she said she has set aside her disappointment and worked for the party relentlessly.

Though she was a strong contender for the party ticket during elections to the Legislative Council from local authorities’ constituency, the party preferred D. Thimmaiah because she belongs to the right-hand section of the Dalits.  

Though she was a strong aspirant for the party ticket from Chamarajanagar reserved Lok Sabha seat, the party had preferred Sunil Bose, son of Minister for Social Welfare and Minister in charge of Mysuru district H.C. Mahadevappa. But, denial of the ticket to her has not deterred her from campaigning for the party in Chamarajanagar, where she is hopeful of Congress party’s victory.

Ms. Amarnath said she was an aspirant for the Congress party’s nomination to the ensuing elections to the Legislative Council from the Legislative Assembly. “I am among the hundreds of aspirants,” she said adding that she continued to nurse hopes of securing the party ticket. “I have not given up hope,” she said.

Ms. Amarnath said the political parties should encourage women in politics by giving them opportunities. She said was working as a Junior Research Fellow in the tissue culture laboratory in Bengaluru University, but was encouraged to enter politics and contest elections to the Zilla Panchayat only because of reservation.

“It is difficult for women to enter politics without reservation,” she said while expressing hope that reservation for women will be in place by the next Lok Sabha elections as the Congress party too had supported the Bill.