A remarkable milestone in local rural governance has emerged from Chhapar, a small hamlet within Bansari gram panchayat under the Neemkathana panchayat samiti in Rajasthan's Sikar district. Three local daughters from this single village contested the Panchayati Raj elections for the very first time and all three emerged victorious as sarpanches across three separate gram panchayats. Pooja Verma, Manisha Devi, and Sunita Verma each entered direct electoral politics without prior campaign experience and secured historic wins, demonstrating strong local public trust.
Triumph on Electoral Debut
What sets this electoral achievement apart is that none of the three women had previously contested any direct public election. Stepping onto the campaign trail for the first time, all three managed to connect directly with village voters and turn that rapport into decisive mandates. From a social perspective, another unifying factor is that all three newly elected representatives belong to the Scheduled Caste community.
Paths to Victory Across Three Gram Panchayats
Each of the three women contested under different seat classifications and margins
- Pooja Verma (Age 28): Armed with BA and BEd degrees, 28-year-old Pooja Verma contested from the general women category seat in Bhagega gram panchayat. Entering the fray as a first-time contestant, she registered a convincing win by a margin of 182 votes to claim the sarpanch post.
- Manisha Devi (Age 34): Having studied up to Class 10, 34-year-old Manisha Devi stepped into electoral politics from the Scheduled Caste reserved seat in Rampura Thoi gram panchayat. Testing the waters for the first time, she secured the mandate to become sarpanch.
- Sunita Verma (Age 37): Hailing from an ordinary farming family, 37-year-old Sunita Verma stood from the Scheduled Caste women reserved seat in Burja Ki Dhani gram panchayat. She recorded a commanding win, defeating her opponents by a wide margin of 398 votes in her inaugural contest.
Focus on Digital Infrastructure, Education, and Self-Reliance
Immediately after their electoral victories, the three newly elected village chiefs outlined clear operational priorities aimed at modernizing rural administration and uplifting local residents.
Pooja Verma intends to equip Bhagega gram panchayat with digital facilities, a modern library, and an open gymnasium tailored for local youth. In Rampura Thoi, Manisha Devi aims to connect rural women with formal education and self-employment initiatives to foster financial independence. Meanwhile, in Burja Ki Dhani, Sunita Verma has prioritized the creation of a digital library to secure better learning opportunities for young children.
