Varsha Naik was elected as sarpanch, with panch Mahima Naik as her deputy as two other panchas, Darma Bhomkar and Sunil Zalmi, supported the two women panchas. The two women panchas have struggled to serve as sarpanch in the Bhoma panchayat, even though the post has been reserved for women, mainly due to obstacles by the five male panchas in the sevem-member panchayat.
Varsha Naik was earlier elected as sarpanch during the present tenure of the panchayat, but she served for barely two months before she was ousted in a no-confidence motion.
In her absence, Deputy Sarpanch Damodar Naik ruled the panchayat as acting sarpanch for two years and two months, as the male panchas were reluctant to support a woman sarpanch.
They would either abstain from special meetings to elect a sarpanch or would simply refuse to propose or second the candidature of a woman panch seeking to serve as sarpanch.
The issue was also raised at many local gram sabhas, with residents criticising the male panchas for preventing women panchas from taking up their rightful duties. According to locals, MGP-BJP politics also came in the way as it was believed that the male panchas were supporters of MGP.
