``I knew the position (of panchayat chief) would not last for long and had to fall back on what I do to support my extended family. So I continued with it,'' she says knowing fully well that she got sacked for rubbing some people the wrong way.

With 18 members in a panchayat of 26 -- the second largest in the State reserved for SCs -- the Congress opted for the politically correct decision of naming Adiamma, the only woman Scheduled Caste member, as president. The party big-wigs thought that Adiamma would serve their purpose by being a figurehead president while the influential men took all thedecisions.

But that was not to be as Adiamma was no pushover. In her tenure of three years, she got to work earnestly. Her mission was to improve the plight of the village folk. She cleared the encroachments near the local bus stand and, more importantly, was able to simplify ``khatha transfers'' and the process of issuing ration cards. This was something her predecessors did not do, simply because these areas are considered to be a gold mine for petty politicians looking to rake in the quick buck.

In fact, Adiamma is said to have informed State Congress chief S M Krishna about the activities of some unscrupulous partymen, but nothing happened.

``These leaders could not bear to see a sweeper-woman becoming the village panchayat president,'' she says. There was tremendous pressure from all quarters. But she did not give in. Panchayat members also went to the extend of hoisting another woman from the rival KRRS group -- Sowbhagyamma -- as an alternative leader. ``They cut across party lines to pull medown,'' Adiamma says, recounting how Janata Dal members joined hands with the Congress to oust her.

And in the end when all else failed, they maintained that Adiamma, by continuing to clean toilets even after becoming panchayat president, did not do the right thing. But Adiamma has made up her mind. She will contest the next elections and work for the welfare of the village. And of course she won't give up cleaning toilets. For that's what earns her and her family their daily bread.