Latur, Jan 9 (PTI): A 26-year-old woman with a postgraduate degree from the prestigious London School of Economics (LSE), is contesting the next week's elections to the local civic body in Maharashtra's Latur, focusing on issues like women's empowerment and job opportunities for youth.

Aishwarya Sushilkumar Chikte, who holds Master's degree in Economic History from the LSE, is fighting the civic polls as a joint candidate of the Ajit Pawar-led NCP and the Republican Sena.

A resident of Buddha Nagar in eastern Latur, Aishwarya chose to return to her roots and address grassroots issues through politics.

During her campaign, she has been urging voters to hand over the reins of power to new, educated and forward-looking young leaders, who can bring transformation.

She maintains that repeatedly electing the same parties and familiar faces has hindered real progress.

For providing immediate access to healthcare in slum and densely-populated areas, Aishwarya has proposed to introduce 'Mohalla Clinics'.

Women's empowerment, employment opportunities for youth, and addressing the concerns of senior citizens are some of the issues she is focusing on.

This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.