7 members of panel win local polls in Hazare's native village

Seven members of a panel in socialactivist Anna Hazare's native village Ralegan Siddhi inMaharashtra on Monday won the local gram panchayat elections.

While seven members from the Ralegan Siddhi Gram VikasPanel, in Ahmednagar district, won the gram panchayat polls,two from the same panel were elected unopposed earlier.

Gram panchayat elections, covering more than 30districts of the state, were held on January 15 and theresults declared on Monday.

According to a close aide of Hazare, before the pollsit was decided to elect nine members of the local grampanchayat from two rival groups unopposed.

He said there are two groups in the village.

''One belongs to Jaysingh Mapari, while other is ofBhagesh Auti. This time, a meeting was called in the presenceof Anna and both the groups came to an understanding that thenine members will be chosen through mutual understanding toavoid elections.

''Both the groups came to an understanding in thepresence of Anna,'' said Sanjay Pathade, the close aide of theanti-corruption crusader.

However, some youth raised an objection and met Hazareexpressing their desire to represent the village, he said.

''Anna then said that if youths want to come into thegram panchayat and connect elections, let the elections takeplace,'' Pathade said.

Two members of the panel were elected unopposed whilepolling took place for the remaining seven seats.

''In today's results, all seven members from theRalegan Siddhi Gram Vikas Panel won their respective seats,''he added.

Pathade, however, said it is wrong to say that Hazarebacked the panel.

''Anna never endorses any group or party. It is justthat Anna was pushing for members to be elected unopposed, butwhen youths said they wanted to contest polls, he agreed,''Pathade said.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)