BJP leaders too are trying to woo SHG members during their village campaigns, which was evident during local MLA Payal Shankar’s outreach in Adilabad Rural mandal: Reports
ADILABAD: In the sarpanch elections, political parties are courting one powerful bloc above all others, the Self-Help Groups that increasingly decide who wins at the village level. There are 1,19,664 members across 1,176 SHGs and 18 mandal samakyas in Adilabad district. SHG votes hold considerable weight in almost all gram panchayats. SHGs have played an active role in village development for years, especially after being included in Amma committees to oversee the improvement of local schools.
In several villages, male family members are contesting for sarpanch while the women of their households are members of SHGs.
SHGs are also providing loans to beneficiaries of Indiramma housing schemes to help them begin construction. The state government has been giving high priority to SHGs and aims to strengthen women financially through these groups.
Candidates are meeting SHG members without fail, seeking their support. While SHGs function without party bias at the organisational level, members still hold personal political preferences.
A senior Congress leader from Adilabad Rural mandal said that SHG members are playing an active role in village development under the Congress government, which he claimed strengthened them financially by offering interest-free bank loans and Indira Mahila Shakti sarees. He added that all contesting candidates are approaching SHGs for support.
Meanwhile, Congress leaders are campaigning that the previous BRS government neglected SHGs during its 10-year rule.
BJP leaders too are trying to woo SHG members during their village campaigns, which was evident during local MLA Payal Shankar’s outreach in Adilabad Rural mandal.
