Gram Panchayat polls: Women set to call the shots

Mahbubnagar: The recent amendments in the Panchayat Raj Act by the State government has come as a big boon for the women folk as the new policy changes and amendments has enabled reservation of 50 per cent Sarpanch seats to women candidates in all the four districts of erstwhile Mahbubnagar district. 

At present, a total of 1,684 gram panchayats in Mahbubnagar, Nagarkurnool, Wanaparthy and Gadwal put together are going for panchayat elections this month. Of them, 832 seats are reserved for women, while the rest of the seats would be contested under general quota, which means apart from men, women can also contest under general quota.

With this, it is clear that women will outnumber men as Sarpanches across the erstwhile Mahbubnagar and it will enable women to take a lead as politicians and work for the welfare of the society on par with men candidates. 

“This is really a great opportunity for the women candidates. After the completion of the panchayat elections, there will be definitely more than 50 per cent women Sarpanches in erstwhile Mahbubnagar, and am sure that if this women power works with determination and commitment, they will bring drastic changes in villages,” said Venkatalaxmi, a woman Sarpanch nominee from Devarkadra gram panchayat. 

In Mahbubnagar, around 721 gram panchayats are going for elections this time. Of this, 356 panchayats have reserved Sarpanch seats for women while the remaining are left open for general quota.

The maximum number of women reserved seats are allocated to Nawabpet mandal which stands at 27, followed by Gandeed mandal with 25, Maddur with 24, Jadcherla with 23, Makthal  21 and Koilkonda 20 seats. Moosapet and Krishna mandals were allotted seven seats each reserved for women. 

In Wanaparthy district, of the 255 panchayats, about 125 seats are reserved for women. Similarly, in Nagarkurnool, of the total 453 panchayats, 223 seats are reserved for women. In Gadwal district, 125 of the 223 panchayats are are reserved for women Sarpanches, while the remaining are left open for general category. Even in Kodangal mandal, of the 181 panchayats, about 93 seats are reserved for women. 

Overall, in the entire erstwhile Mahbubnagar district, these elections are regarded as the biggest opportunity for the women as more than 50 per cent women will represent as Sarpanches.

With this, people are expecting a new change in the villages. Particularly in the tribal Thandas, which have been recently upgraded into new panchayats, the political environment is heating up quite well and every single individual in the villages and Thandas are eagerly waiting to vote.

“Though some remote villages and those under the grip of a particular political party are vying for unanimous elections, ultimately, the voters will have to take a final call and get their candidates win the elections,” said Mohan Nayak of Kotta Thanda village in Jadcherla mandal.