This 24-year-old young newly elected member of Lakshmipura Gram Panchayat is a bright student pursuing her ITI in Chintamani Rural College in Chikkaballapur taluk. She was elected from Gowdatatagadda constituency from Nelavanki hobli of Srinivaspur taluk in Kolar district.

Lakshmi Devi is confident that she can balance both her studies as well as her new role. Lakshmi Devi earns the crdit of being the first student to contest in the recently conducted Gram Panchayat elections. She is tasting power and politics for the first time in her life. Her new found success is yet to sink into her.

Infact, her entry into politics was accidental. Out of the four seats in Gowdatatagadda constituency, one was reserved for Scheduled Caste (Woman). Since there was not a single candidate who could suit this requirement, Lakshmi Devi, who resides with her parents Venkataramana Naidu and Chandrakala, a kilometer away from Gowdatatagadda in M Kurpalli village, which is also 25 km from Srinivaspur town, had a golden opportunity to contest the Gram Panchayat elections. Lakshmi Devi and her parents are ardent fans of late chief minister of Andhra Pradesh Y S Rajashekhara Reddy.
Lakshmi Devi is preparing herself to shoulder the responsiblity of a member of the Gram Panchayat. “I want to ensure that the people of my constituency will enjoy all the basic amenities. It want to ensure that it treads the path of progress. Power, water, roads, everything that is possible, I would like to ensure for my constituency,” she adds with great expectations in her eyes.

“I know it will be a challenging job to manage both. I do have apprehensions. But I am confident that with my parents and brother’s support I will don the duel roles of both - a student and also as a Gram Panchayat member,” Lakshmi Devi adds.
Fresh with youthful spirit and enthusiasm, she is also a new entrant in the field of politics. Her confidence and unfazed determination is definitely set to usher in a new wave of promising leadership.
DH News Service