Assam Congress felicitates male relatives of female Panchayat election winners in Sribhumi

In a development that has sparked serious questions about women’s political representation and autonomy, none of the three victorious female candidates of the Congress party were present at the party’s official felicitation ceremony held after the recent Panchayat elections in Sribhumi.

The Congress had won a total of five seats in the district—three by women and two by men. However, during the campaign period, voters reportedly had little to no interaction with the female candidates themselves. In many areas, canvassing was carried out by male relatives, raising suspicions about the authenticity of women's participation in the electoral process.

At the felicitation ceremony held this week by the district Congress committee, the absence of the women winners was glaring. In their place, one candidate’s father-in-law and another’s husband received the felicitation on their behalf. No other female leaders or representatives were seen on stage or among the attendees either.

“This is not just symbolic exclusion—it’s systemic invisibility,” said a local political observer. “If women aren’t even allowed to attend a function celebrating their own victory, what does that say about their role in decision-making?”

The incident has stirred concerns among civil society groups, who fear that the party may be promoting tokenism rather than genuine empowerment.

While Congress leaders at the district level have remained tight-lipped, critics argue that such incidents reveal the deep-rooted patriarchal structures still prevalent in local politics, where women are often used as proxies in electoral contests.