Kudumbashree members make it big in local body polls

602 candidates win in Kochi Corpn., dist. panchayat, block and grama panchayats

Around one-third of Kudumbashree workers in Ernakulam, who contested the civic body polls, passed the electoral test.

According to data compiled by the District Kudumbashree Mission, 602 of the total 1,918 candidates won the elections held for the Kochi Corporation, district panchayat, and block and grama panchayats.

Those who clinched victory include members of neighbourhood groups, chairpersons of community development societies, vice chairpersons of societies, chairpersons and members of area development societies, president, secretary and executive committee members of neighbourhood groups. Besides, vice chairpersons and executive committee members of community development societies have made it to the ruling and Opposition benches in the new councils.

Of the 602 who won, over half are members of neighbourhood groups. Around 360 women in the above category came out successful in their wards. Executive committee members of community development societies showed their grassroots-level connections after 75 of them were declared winners.

As many as 31 executive committee members of area development societies won the election, while the corresponding figure of presidents of neighbourhood groups who turned councillors and ward members was 23. Twenty-nine secretaries of neighbourhood groups entered grama panchayats, blocks, and municipalities as representatives of their wards.

A majority of women entrepreneurs and self-help group members won elections held for grama panchayats. Around 450 of the district mission members will now be part of the decision-making process in grama panchayats. Nearly 110 made it to municipalities, while the representation of mission workers in blocks was around 30. Five of the Kudumbashree workers won the election held for the Kochi Corporation.

Members of the mission put up an impressive performance in Kalamassery and Eloor municipalities. In Kalamassery, 17 of the new councillors will represent the Kudumbashree Mission, while the corresponding figure in Eloor is 14. Ten in the new council in Maradu will also be women, who had gained ground-level experience in their roles as Kudumbashree workers.