Keeping it all in the family in poll season

Berhampur: Like all things in politics, family name plays a big role in panchayat election as well. There are some families who hold sway over panchayats for years, like the Ghosh family, which has been running Kanchana panchayat in Khallikote block since 1997.
Chitrasen Ghosh and his wife Rajashree are all set to be elected unopposed as samiti member and sarpanch.While Rajashree will be elected for the first time, for Chitrasen, this will be the second time. In 2017, he was elected as sarpanch, a post his father Yudhistir Ghosh first held in 1997. One of Chitrasen’s relatives, Bipra Charan Sahu was elected as samiti member in 2002, while his brother Jayasen Ghosh was elected as sarpanch in 2007. Jayasen was elected as samiti member in 2012. Five years later when Chitrasen was elected as sarpanch, Mili, Jayasen’s wife was elected as samiti member.
“We are with the people on every occasion. At the same time, we have also developed the panchayat. That is why the people of the panchayat have elected us multiple times,” said Chitrasen.
Similarly in Gudipadar, the panchayat on the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border in Patrapur block, the voters have been imposing faith in one family since 1997. While Y Mohan Rao was elected as sarpanch of the Telugu speaking panchayat, his wife Y Sanjukta Reddy was elected two times as sarpanch in 2002 and 2012. His sister Y Dilli was elected as zilla parishad member in 2002.
As the sarpanch post was reserved for scheduled cast (woman) this time, one of his supporters, Y Sridevi, is all set to be elected unopposed. Rao’s wife is in fray for samiti member.
Family members of Sameer Pradhan hold Takarada panchayat in Sheragada panchayat for several decades. This time his wife Nibedita is seeking election as zilla parishad member from zone 57. She is backed by the BJD.
Both Sameer and Nibedita had been elected as ZP member once. She was elected as sarpanch in 2007 while Sameer’s mother Nirupama and brother Sisir were elected as sarpanch in 1997 and 2002. His father Goura Chandra Pradhan was elected twice as samiti member from the panchayat.