22-yr-old elected sarpanch in Panchkula district
Sanjay Bumbroo
Panchkula, November 3
A 22-year-old youth, Vishal Sharma, has become the youngest sarpanch in Panchkula district, winning the elections to the post from Rattewali village in Barwala block on Thursday.
Sharma, who is a greenhorn in politics and belongs to the farming community, defeated his nearest rival Master Dharam Pal by 42 votes. He polled 956 votes.
Talking to Chandigarh Tribune, Sharma said he was pursuing his second year in Bachelor of Arts from MPN College, Mullana near Ambala.
He said as his family was involved in social works at the village, residents asked him to contest the elections even though he had no knowledge of the functioning of the panchayat.
The newly elected sarpanch said under the guidance of village elders, he would try to carry out development works and meet the expectations of the residents. Meanwhile, 16 elected sarpanches met Haryana Speaker and Panchkula MLA Gian Chand Gupta today. Congratulating the winners, Gupta said 16 of the 18 panchayats elected in his Assembly constituency were either BJP workers or their family members working on various party posts.
