Maharashtra: IT engineer wins Gram Panchayat polls in Latur

Picture used for representational purpose only. File pic

At a time when most youngsters opt for cushy, high-paying corporate jobs, a 22-year-old IT engineer chose to contest the Gram Panchayat elections and won in Maharashtra's Latur district.

Sandhya Gautam Sonkamble won the recently-held Gram Panchayat polls in Kabansangvi village of Latur''s Chakur tehsil, becoming the youngest member of the local body in the region.

"I realised that problems in the village are the same as they were earlier. People were looking for a candidate who was aware local issues, which is why I decided to contest the election," said Sonkamble, who studied in the village till Class 12 and earned her engineering degree from a college in Kolhapur.

When the election was declared for nine seats of the Gram Panchayat, the panel chief was looking for a candidate for the Scheduled Caste woman category in one of the wards.

Sonkamble campaigned door to door and convinced voters about what can be achieved for the village.

"Politics requires money and educated people don''t get into politics," she said, adding that few women like NCP leader Supriya Sule and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman have managed to make a mark in the field.

"There are a lot expectations from me now. However, the trust of the people who have elected me will give me the strength to shoulder this responsibility," the young leader said.

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