Educated youths chuck plum jobs to enter PR polls
MAHBUBNAGAR: Elections to local bodies have acquired significance this time as quite a few members of highly educated class are throwing their hat into the electoral ring.
Nearly half a dozen youths, with B Tech, BAMS, M Sc and B Ed are contesting the elections in the district by even resigning from their cozy jobs.
M Krishna of Yelkur village of Maldhakal mandal who is contesting in the elections said he felt it was the right time to enter politics to strengthen administration at village level. Krishna who has a B Tech degree said he wants to weed out corruption.
Another B Tech graduate M Balakrishna is contesting from Mulamalla village of Atmakur mandal. "From the inception of panchayat raj system only a single family is holding power in the village. How can decentralization take place when a single family is holding on to the post? I have joined the fray to bring about a change in the village," he said.
S Radhika, a software professional with an enviable monthly salary of Rs 60,000 in Hyderabad, has now entered the electoral fray for the post of sarpanch in Marripally village of Uppunuthala mandal. She is an M Sc (Computers) from Osmania University.
"A village should be self-contained and should not depend on cities for growth. But many villages still lack basic amenities. My main goal in getting into politics is to develop the village," she said.
Another woman candidate, M Shoba Rani, who has a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medical Science (BAMS) degree filed nomination for the Ajilapur village of Devarkadra mandal. Shoba is presently pursuing higher studies in ayurvedic medicine and is a contestant for the sarpanch post.
"There is too much of corruption and many schemes targeted at the rural people are not being implemented properly. As Rajiv Gandhi said out of the Re 1 sanctioned from the government, only 20 paise is reaching the village for development. This has to change," she said.
All the educated lot who are in fray have clear goals and have the conviction to reach them. Rajamani with M A, B Ed degrees is contesting from Jeklaru panchayat of Makthal mandal. "More educated people should come into politics. They can bring reforms in the society. Our villages are mainly agrarian. Farmers are cheated by middle men. My focus will be to educate farmers apart from providing better education facilities, sanitation and medical facilities," she said.
It may be mentioned here that in Khammam district, an MBBS graduate, Lakki Nani Raghu, has filed nomination for ward member in Kallur village panchayat. Similarly an M SC (Organic Chemistry) graduate, M Swapna, has filed nomination for the sarpanch post at Ashwaraopet village of Khammam.
For Gundugula and Dhammapet gram panchayats, two MBA graduates have filed papers. B Krishna Kumari and A Balaji are promising to bring changes in the village and educate people about the many schemes meant for them.
Several PG and B Ed degree holders too have filed their nominations. In some areas, the educated candidates are being supported by all parties so that they can get elected unanimously.
"With educated people in fray, the local governments can only become stronger. Once elected, they should stick to their motto of developing villages," said Lok Satta party president Jayaprakash Narayan.
