Meet Anandavally, a Kerala block panchayat’s cleaning staff who became its president

New practices are already becoming a part of Anandavally’s life. Till late evening on Tuesday, she’s been busy with meetings. The swearing in as president of the Pathanapuram block panchayat in Kerala is on Wednesday and Anandavally is swarmed with congratulatory calls. Her story has already reached many, Facebook posts and messages commenting on her journey from being a cleaning staff in Pathanapuram to becoming president of the same block panchayat are everywhere.

“I have been a branch committee member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) – the CPI(M), for a decade. It has been a party decision that I contest the election and a party decision to make me president,” Anandavally says on a call at half past nine, tired after a long day, and excited about another.

She has been a cleaning staff member of the Pathanapuram block panchayat in Kollam district for 10 years. Before that she had worked as a cleaning staff for three years in Thalavoor, a village that’s part of the block panchayat. It’s also the village she grew up in.

“I began working as an ayah at a preprimary school in 1995. I used to help take kids in bus to school and back home,” Anandavally says. She is now 46 years old.

Anandavally recalls that her childhood wasn't an easy one, with her father abandoning the family. "Both my mother and grand mother were sweepers at the Thalavoor Devi Temple and the family expenses were met with their income. There were many difficult phases in our life," she recalls. 

When Anandavally worked as a cleaning staff, her husband Mohanan did painting work. Their children, two sons, are studying – the elder one doing his degree and the younger one in plus 2. 

"The staff of the Agriculture office used to help me a lot, offering financial assistance that helped me run my house and educate my children. Both of them also play badminton well," she recounts.  

She became a member of the CPI(M) 10 years ago and began attending meetings and rallies. Her husband, Mohanan, is a local committee member of the party. He could be heard encouraging Anandavally to narrate the details over the phone.  

Not only Mohanan, all her colleagues at the block panchayat have been supportive of Anandavally’s new role. “I know all the staff there and I do not feel afraid to go work at the same office as president, with the people I know so well. All of them will be with me,” she says.

She won the recent local body polls from the Thalavoor division by a majority of 654 votes. “I realise this is a serious responsibility and would like to work with everyone, beyond political differences.”

(With inputs from Abhish Bose)