Emotional bond pushes NRIs into local body elections back home in Telangana

Several NRIs from Dubai, US, Israel, Qatar and Bahrain have returned to their native villages in Telangana to contest gram panchayat elections or support family members. Many quit jobs abroad to campaign for local leadership roles, highlighting strong ties to their roots

Jeddah: Driven by a strong emotional attachment to their roots, several NRIs have returned to their native villages in Telangana to contest in the gram panchayat elections beginning Thursday, while others have flown home to support family members in the fray.

Many villages in the State mobilise a significant share of their own development funds through village development committees, often powered by contributions from NRIs, while caste groups also influence these committees. Sarpanches therefore must work closely with VDCs.

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Dubai based NRI Gaddam Srinivas Reddy quit his lucrative job to contest as Sarpanch of his native Bandapalli in Chandurti mandal of Rajanna Sircilla district. Determined to lead the village, he resigned a couple of months ago to start groundwork for the polls.

Another Dubai NRI, Bandi Rajaram, hailing from Komanpalli in Armoor mandal of Nizamabad district, recalled losing his previous contest by just seven votes. “Last time I was defeated by merely seven votes and after losing the elections I came to Dubai to work and was keen to contest again this time, but dropped the idea as it was reserved for women,” he said.

Panchita Dharmaraju Yadav, who had a stable job in Qatar, returned to Sirikonda in Dharmapuri mandal of Jagtial district to contest for the top village post.

Gaddam Ramesh Reddy of Ankapur in Armoor mandal came back from Georgia, US, to file his nomination. However, his papers were rejected. “I was in possession of a voter card and my name was in the list, based on that I came and filed the nomination but found only after scrutiny that my name was deleted from the electoral rolls,” he told Telangana Today.

Another American NRI, Kanjarla Chandrashekhar, is contesting for Sarpanch in his native Chinna Shankarampet of Medak district.

Kola Narsaiah, working in Israel and a former Sarpanch of Pachalanadukuda in Armoor mandal, returned to contest again despite having remained in Israel even during the conflict there. Elections back home made him rush to India without hesitation.

Former Saudi Arabia NRI Togari Lakshmipathi is confident of securing victory for his wife Rajamani in Dammanapeat of Medipalli mandal in Jagtial district, as the seat is reserved for women. While working in the oil and gas sector abroad, he contributed to village development.

Another former oil and gas employee, Engula Lachaiah, is contesting from Mothkuraopeat in Bheemaram mandal of the same district.

Some have returned not to contest but to support. Kotagiri Naveen, an NRI from Bahrain and native of Hasakottur in Kammarpalli mandal of Nizamabad district, said, “I am camping in my village not to contest elections but to campaign for right candidates.”