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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 000439 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KWMN KDEM IN
SUBJECT: WOMEN IN INDIA: LONG HISTORY OF POLITICAL 
LEADERSHIP 
 
REF: NEW DELHI 394 
 
NEW DELHI 00000439  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (U) Summary: Women have held high political office in 
India since the 1960's when Indira Gandhi became Prime 
Minister.  Today, her daughter-in-law Sonia Gandhi is perhaps 
the most powerful person in India.  But women without famous 
names - such as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati and 
former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa - have scaled 
the heights of Indian politics as well.  In fact, Mayawati 
maintains an outside chance of becoming Prime Minister in 
this year's national elections.  Women have been politically 
successful in northern and southern India, and in the large 
national parties and on their own at both the state and 
national levels.  They are fully integrated into Indian 
political mainstream.  End Summary. 
 
Indira Gandhi Led the Way 
------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) Though generally a patriarchal society, women have 
played leading roles at the highest levels of Indian politics 
for forty years, since Indira Gandhi became Prime Minister in 
¶1966.  Currently, Sonia Gandhi (Indira's daughter-in-law), 
president of the Congress Party and Chairperson of the ruling 
United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, ranks as 
perhaps the most powerful politician in India.  Forbes 
magazine called her the sixth most powerful woman in the 
world in 2007, and Time listed her among the 100 most 
influential people in the world in 2007 and 2008. 
 
¶3. (U) Of course, as heirs to the Nehru/Gandhi dynasty, 
Indira and Sonia Gandhi had something of a head start.  But 
India claims many female politicians who received no such 
advantage.  One of the most talked about politicians in India 
now is Mayawati, the Chief Minister of India's largest state, 
Uttar Pradesh.  Mayawati is a Dalit and her party, the 
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), derives most of its support from 
the low caste Dalit community.  But as her ambitions have 
grown, she has reached out to other communities to broaden 
her base.  The BSP, which she rules with an iron fist, 
appears likely to win a significant number of parliamentary 
seats in this year's national election.  With the fractured 
nature of India's politics, Mayawati could play kingmaker in 
the new government's formation, or even become PM herself. 
While she would be India's second female PM, she would be the 
first female PM to come from the grass roots.  Just as 
important - if not more so - Mayawati would be India's first 
Dalit PM. 
 
¶4. (U) Several other states including Delhi, Rajasthan, 
Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and Tamil Nadu have elected female 
Chief Ministers as well.  In the 1970's Nandini Satpathy 
became Chief Minister in Orissa, and also served in the Rajya 
Sabha.  More recently, in 2008 Delhi elected the Congress 
Party's Sheila Dikshit to her third consecutive term, an 
impressive feat as anti-incumbency remains a powerful force 
in Indian politics.  In Rajasthan, Bharatiya Janata Party 
(BJP) politician Vasundhara Raje won election as Chief 
Minister in 2004.  Uma Bharati, also from the BJP, served as 
Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh in 2003-2004.  Former Tamil 
film actress Jayalalithaa served as Chief Minister of Tamil 
Nadu twice as the leader of the regional party All India Anna 
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). 
 
Women Regional Party Leaders 
Will Wield Power in 2009 Elections 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (U) As leaders of important regional parties, Mayawati and 
Jayalalitha along with Mamata Banerjee, leader of the West 
Bengal-based Trinamool Congress, will play crucial roles 
 
NEW DELHI 00000439  002 OF 002 
 
 
forming the next coalition government.  Though all three 
women have historical ties to either the Congress Party or 
the BJP, they remain "free agents," willing to partner with 
whichever party gives them the best deal.  This gives them 
significant leverage to forward their individual agendas. 
 
Rahul or Priyanka: Only Competence and Charisma Matter 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) As Chairperson of the UPA, Sonia Gandhi remains the 
most powerful woman in India, although her bids to become PM 
in 1998 and 2004 were undone because of opposition based on 
her foreign-born status.  However, her daughter Priyanka 
(Gandhi) Vadra faces no such obstacle.  While the 
thirty-seven year old mother of two has never stood for 
office herself, she served as her mother's campaign manager 
in the successful 2004 national election.  Many commentators 
believe that it is the more charismatic Priyanka, and not her 
brother Rahul, who will claim the mantle held by her father, 
grandmother and great-grandfather.  When such speculation 
occurs, rarely is there a mention of the fact that she is a 
woman.  The electability argument revolves around competence 
and charisma.  Thus far, Priyanka has refused to speculate 
about a future in politics and maintains a relatively low 
profile, an almost impossible task given her near-royal 
status. 
 
Women in Power: Long History and Increasing Numbers 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶7. (U) Comment: India has a longer history of prominent 
female politicians than most countries.  The current 
political landscape is filled with powerful women at both the 
state and national levels.  In addition to the women 
highlighted above, women serve in the central and state 
cabinets, as leaders of the opposition in state assemblies, 
and as state heads within the larger political parties. 
Their numbers will likely increase as many states have 
implemented reservations for women at the panchayat (village 
council) level, often the starting point for aspiring 
politicians.  Additionally, as women become a more 
independent voting block, their power will grow as parties 
reach out directly to women on issues they care about.  Women 
have been active in politics and electorally successful in 
all parts of India both within the large national parties and 
on their own.  They are fully integrated into the political 
mainstream, and it is no longer "unique" or "unprecedented" 
when they achieve success.  End Comment. 
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