WOMEN POWER

TABASSUM HASAN, Kairana (LS), UP

Tabassum Hasan on Friday became the first Muslim MP from the most populous state in the 16th Lok Sabha. An RLD candidate, Hasan (48) took to politics in the 2009 Lok Sabha election on a BSP ticket, months after the death of her husband Munawwar Hasan in a car crash in Haryana and defeated BJP candidate Hukum Singh. This time around, she defeated Mriganka Singh, daughter of Hukum Singh whose death necessitated the byelection. In 2014, her son Nahid fought the election on an SP ticket against Hukum Singh but lost.

SEEMA DEVI MAHTO Silli, Jharkhand

Seema Devi Mahto has won the Silli bypol for the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha. She is the wife of Amit Mahto, who had won the seat in the last election but disqualified after he was convicted for an assault of former Sonahatu circle officer and sentenced to two years’ imprisonment.

BABITA DEVI, Gomia, Jharkhand

Babita Devi has won the Gomia bypoll on a JMM ticket. The bypoll was necessitated after the sitting MLA Yogendra Prasad was convicted in a coal theft case and sentenced to three years’ in jail. He was subsequently disqualified

MIANI D. SHIRA, Ampatti, Meghalaya

Congress candidate Miani D. Shira retained Ampatti assembly seat in Meghalaya for the Congress. Ms Shira is the daughter of former chief minister Mukul Sangma. The seat had fallen vacant after her father who won from two seats in the last assembly poll decided to retain Songsak seat. This is the first foray of Ms Shira, 27, into the electoral politics. Her mother is also a member of the Assembly.

MUNNI DEVI SHAH, Tharali, Uttarakhand Munni Devi Shah, who won the bypoll to the Tharali assembly seat in Uttarakhand, is the wife the late Magan Lal Shah. Shah, who represented the seat, died in February this year.