ABSTRACT
This chapter analyses the role of women in state- and local-level politics as well as in the political parties in Madhya Pradesh. Though, women constitute nearly half of the electorate and their voting percentage in the elections is also very high, yet their roles and representation in the elected bodies of the Parliament and legislative assembly have always been negligible. The chapter also discusses how due to reservation for women in urban and rural local bodies for more than 25 years, women have shown their capacity of leadership and of holding different posts and exercising their powers in different local bodies, but in comparison to rural women, urban women got more opportunities of taking part in politics in Madhya Pradesh. The chapter also discusses the work done by some women personalities, who have made their mark in state politics.
