NELLORE: With 50 per cent of seats in local bodies reserved for women, several male aspirants were not disappointed but had secured tickets to their better halves or other members of the family and donned the role of campaign managers.
Of the 35 ZPTC seats, 18 are reserved for women. In the Nellore Municipal Corporation, 36 of the 72 divisions are reserved for women. Similarly, 14 seats each have been reserved for women in Buchireddypalem and Atmakur municipalities, along with the chairperson post.
In several constituencies, men continue to play a dominant role in the electoral process, with husbands taking the lead in political negotiations, filing nominations, and managing campaigns on behalf of their wives.
The trend has raised questions about whether women elected under the reservation system will independently exercise their authority or whether their husbands will continue to influence decision-making after the polls.
The Atmakur municipal chairperson post is one such example. A political leader had reportedly made preparations to contest the post, expecting it to be allotted to the general category. However, after it was reserved for women, another candidate entered the race.
A similar situation has emerged in Buchireddypalem. Gudur, where elections have not been held, has also been reserved for women.
While reservations have opened doors for more women to enter public life, the extent to which they will independently lead and make decisions remains a key question