India, April 6 -- Congress leader Rahul Gandhi created a buzz in poll-bound Kerala by pitching for a woman chief minister. Addressing a rally ahead of the April 9 assembly elections, Gandhi said he looked forward to the day when the state, with almost 100% literacy, greater gender parity, and high social indices, would get its first woman top elected official.

Congress has, ironically, fielded just nine women candidates, accounting for less than 10% of its total 92 nominees. Memes showing Congress leaders VD Satheesan, KC Venugopal, Shashi Tharoor, Ramesh Chennithala, and K Sudhakaran in sarees highlighted the irony.

Analysts believe that Gandhi's statement was not out of the blue but a calculated move, endorsing the Congress-led United...