First phase of GP Polls: Interesting electoral battle on the cards as former woman Maoist in fray

RAJANNA SIRCILLA

All eyes are on the Shivangalapalli gram panchayat in Konaraopet mandal of Rajanna Sircilla district from where former Maoist Nerella Jyothi alias Jyothakka is in the electoral fray for Sarpanch post.

Shivangalapalli, once hotbed of naxal activity in late 1990s and early 2020s, is going to the polls in the first phase of the gram panchayat (GP) elections on December 11, where the election campaign drew to a close on Tuesday (December 9).

A total of five candidates are in the fray for the sarpanch post reserved from women (General) in Shivangalapalli gram panchayat, sources said.

The former Maoist in her late 30s surrendered before the Karimnagar police in 2023 after working as an underground cadre in the banned outfit for nearly 19 years.

She was 16-year-old when joined the ranks of the outlawed organisation while studying Intermediate first year in the erstwhile Karimnagar district. She carried a reward of Rs 5 lakh on her head.

She was the District Committee Member (Press in-charge of Telangana State Committee) of the CPI (Maoist) when she parted ways with the proscribed outfit and returned to the mainstream.

The former ultra forayed into the electoral fray aiming at leadership role in the grassroots level elected body.

Her campaign on the final day of electioneering on Tuesday saw distribution of pamphlets listing out various development needs of her village – construction of gram panchayat office building, a shed for storage of paddy produce and a bus shelter, to be achieved through what she called a ‘collective and concerted endeavour’.

The village witnessed hectic activity on the concluding day of the campaign on Tuesday with other candidates in the fray undertaking door-to-door campaigns for voter support before the curtains came down on electioneering.