Congress Event in Shivamogga Reserves Stage Exclusively for Women Leaders

Shivamogga: In a rare departure from political convention, a Congress event in Shivamogga saw the stage being reserved entirely for women leaders, while ministers, legislators and senior party functionaries took seats among the audience.

The occasion was the swearing-in ceremony of Shweta Bandi as the new president of the Shivamogga District Mahila Congress, held at the Banjara Bhavan on Friday. On stage were State Mahila Congress president Sowmya Reddy, MLC Ballis Banu, Shivamogga Lok Sabha candidate Geetha Shivarajkumar and several district-level women leaders.

Education Minister and district in-charge Madhu Bangarappa, MLA Belur Gopalakrishna, KPCC Working President Dr. Manjunath Bhandari, and Shivamogga District Congress president Prasanna Kumar were among the senior male leaders who sat with the gathering instead of occupying the dais.

Dr. Bhandari, who addressed the gathering briefly, was the only male leader to step onto the stage, after which he returned to the audience. Party sources said the decision to allocate the platform solely to women leaders was taken at his initiative. His move, aimed at ensuring greater visibility and recognition for women in the party, was widely welcomed by both Congress members and the public.

Political platforms in Karnataka and elsewhere are typically dominated by male leaders, with women often relegated to the sidelines. By reversing this norm, the Shivamogga event underscored the party’s intent to strengthen women’s participation at all levels.

Congress circles described the gesture as “symbolic but significant”, noting that it reflected the KPCC leadership’s efforts to bring inclusivity and gender balance into its political culture.