New Delhi, Dec 18 (IANS) A "National Women's Party" was launched here on Tuesday with the aim of ensuring 50 per cent representation for women in Parliament and other places.
Announcing the launch, the party's national President Swetha Shetty said: "In a male-dominated political system, an all women's party is important. Women and their issues are only raised during the mother's day, the women's day or during the election time. NWP will be a platform for women to raise their voices."
The party, which started its ground work in 2012, was launched with the aim of getting 50 per cent reservation for women candidates in the Lok Sabha Election, she said adding they have applied for registration with the Election Commission.
With no prominent names to mention, the party claimed it has the support of 1.45 lakh women members of Hyderabad-based Telangana Mahila Samiti, "and their numbers are persistently increasing across India".
"Even in 2018, women rights are avoided. I invite all the women, who feel the party can be a platform to improve the condition of women in present time, to join it," Shetty said.
A doctor by profession, 36-year-old Shetty also heads an NGO in Telangana where she realised "the acute need to be a part of the system to bring the change".
"We won't be quiet until we see that women are represented equally in the Parliament.
"My initial aim will be to ensure 50 per cent reservations inside the parliament and slowly in all walks of life," she said.
She also said the party will contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and will support and seek backing from like-minded parties.
She said that the party also welcomes political support from men, "if they agree with our ideology".
