Gram panchayat elections across villages in the erstwhile Medak district have seen a pattern of power shifting between family members, with husbands and wives swapping roles to bypass reservation norms and retain control, political observers noted.
Families that have enjoyed political success at the village level are unwilling to let go of power, even when reservations prevent them from contesting elections directly. Leaders who would otherwise contest gram panchayat elections field their wives or other women members if the posts are reserved, ensuring continuity of control.
Across several villages in the erstwhile Medak district, there has been a clear change of guard between husbands and wives in gram panchayats, reinforcing this trend.