Member of Legislative Council
In 1966, she was handpicked by the then leader of the Federation Party, A.D. Patel to contest the Suva Indian Communal seat in the Legislative Council against Andrew Deoki. Deoki was an experienced political campaigner, having represented Suva in the Legislative Council since 1959 and had wide social contacts. He was the only non-Federation Indian member elected in the 1963 elections. A.D. Patel was of the opinion that a female candidate would be able to counteract some of Deoki's influence in the constituency. In the end Irene Narayan won easily by 5,676 votes to 2,779 votes. She increased he majority in the 1968 by-election. For a long time, she remained the sole Indian female member of the Legislative Council.
Read more about this topic: Irene Jai Narayan
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