The ongoing campaign for the Punalur municipality elections has gained an unexpected jolt of youthful energy in the College ward, thanks to the candidature of 21-year-old Gouri M. A. A committed member of the Balasangham and the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), the young girl says CPI(M) leadership’s decision to select her to represent the ward came as a surprise.“The party wanted to bring in youngsters below 25 years of age and that’s how I ended up being chosen,” says Ms. Gouri, who holds a B.Com degree from St John’s College, Anchal. She also believes her candidature is part of a clear and deliberate move by the party to empower and mould the next generation. Hardly a week into full-scale campaigning; the young woman radiates both vibrancy and optimism as she connects with every corner of the ward. As the unit president of the Democratic Youth Federation of India, Ms. Gouri possesses on-the-ground understanding of the local civic needs, making her campaign highly issue-focussed.She is determined to tackle basic infrastructure first. “The condition of roads is simply not acceptable. Roads and street lights are the most immediate issues that need our attention,” she states. Beyond infrastructure, she is pledging strong interventions to mitigate the acute water shortage the College ward suffers every summer. “A representative holds the power to make significant changes to the current situation,” she adds.Ms. Gouri says her age has proved to be her biggest asset, not a hindrance. She says it has not caused a single hiccup in her door-to-door canvas and the public reception has been overwhelmingly positive, driven by a desire for change. “People are incredibly supportive because they genuinely want to see more young people in the fray. Not a single person has discouraged me or even questioned my candidature based on my age,” she says.Published - November 19, 2025 07:28 pm IST