Two Women Representatives Won Ward Villupuram Municipality After 103 Years
Update: 2022-02-25 12:45 IST
P Vidhyashankari and S Merina
Villupuram municipality currently has two women ward representatives from an Ambedkarite political party for the first time in the history of its 103-year. The success of VCK may indicate the municipality's attentive governance, which prioritizes the welfare of marginalized people.
S Merina and P Vidhyashankari competed in Wards 16 and 32, accordingly, and won by more than 300 seats. While Vidyashankari, who won in the reserved ward of Vazhudhareddy said that it's a powerful moment of feeling and thankfulness. To create a positive difference in the society, political power is it utmost needed, and she look ahead to provide her service in the footsteps of Dr. BR Ambedkar.
The district has been a stronghold for the DMK and AIADMK for the past 50 years, with major leaders from both parties hailing from the area. The VCK had been in the race for two decades, and in 2006, it had won one ward councillor in the Tindivanam municipality. Since then, no local body elections have been held in the district.
Meanwhile, in the 2019 parliamentary elections, VCK general secretary D Ravikumar won a landslide victory. He was elected to the Villupuram constituency as an MP. The party's concept of dismantling caste and other social hierarchies, as foreseen by Dr. BR Ambedkar, reached out to people from all walks of life, including children and teenagers.
Villupuram MP and VCK general secretary D Ravikumar said that it is surprising that the party was able to gain seats in both the municipality and town panchayat levels in this election. VCK's ability to ideologically appeal to its voters has grown with time. They also mentioned that it was not simply one community's vote that gave us the victory; it was everyone's combined belief in the values of social justice. We regard this as a promising start.