COIMBATORE: Two persons from the Irula community have won the post of Panchayat President at 24-Veerapandi and Tholampalayam village panchayat in the rural local body elections held in the district.
N Palanisamy of Kondanur at 24-Veerapandi and Jaya Senthil Kumar of Tholampalayam, both from Irula tribal community, have won in the election after the panchayats were announced reservation of tribal community in the delimitation in 2016.
This is the first time the two panchayats have been brought under the presidentship of a tribal community.
In 24-Veerapandi panchayat, there are around 5,000 tribals who live in 24 settlements at Anaikatti hills.
Despite the panchayat holding a large number of tribal voters, no persons from the community have been panchayat president until now, said sources.
N Palanisamy got his win with a margin of 910 votes. He has held the ward member post two times and has studied up to class VI.
He said that as he has practical experience with how the panchayat administration works. “Most tribals are living in small thatched houses. My first priority is to provide them with houses under the greenhouse scheme,” he said.
Jaya Senthilkumar (30) of Tholampalayam, on the other hand, won the election with a lead of 37 votes against her chief opponent.
She has not held any post in panchayat administration so far. After panchayat was reserved for tribal women, she contested in it.