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Leadership is an idea which gets translated into action by the one who performs the role of a leader. By looking at the political background of India at large and Uttar Pradesh in particular, it becomes evident that the political empowerment of women had for long been a challenge and continues to be such. The political culture of the country has remained impacted by cumulative factors like caste, patriarchy, power, religion, affluence, crime and corruption that act as deterrent towards women’s participation in political life. Consequently, women leadership in India has never remained untouched by male dominance, family legacy and kinship. The emergence of women leaders in the pre and post-independence period reflect this phenomenon. It is with the onset of the 90’s decade that the country witnesses a shift in the political process that also provided women with a platform to negotiate for political power and consolidate themselves on the leadership positions. This book is an effort to check into the emergence of women at the top-notch political leadership (as chief ministers) in Uttar Pradesh polity and the impact of the politico-social milieu on their leadership styles. For this purpose, the study takes up the cases of two women chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh namely Sucheta Kriplani and Mayawati.