Tribal woman with zero bank balance runs for Lok Sabha elections in Chhattisgarh
Korba: Shanti Bai Marawi, a 33-year-old resident of Bhedrapani, Gourella village under the Korba Lok Sabha constituency in Chhattisgarh, has emerged as a candidate for the upcoming elections despite having zero balance in her bank account.
Running as an independent candidate, Marawi is locally known as 'Zero Balance' due to her financial status. Her decision to enter the electoral fray shows the inclusivity of Indian democracy, where individuals from diverse economic backgrounds can participate in Lok Sabha or state assembly elections.
Hailing from the Baiga community, Marawi's motivation to contest the elections stemmed from the frustration of feeling unheard by political parties. Encouraged by her husband Ram Kumar, she took the bold step to represent her community's concerns on a larger platform.
In order to meet the electoral requirements, candidates from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, like Marawi, are mandated to submit a security deposit of Rs 12,500. Despite their modest financial means, Marawi and her husband managed to gather the necessary funds with the support of their community members, who rallied behind their cause.
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BJP sees AAP as challenge, it has launched 'Operation Jhaadu' to crush us: Arvind Kejriwal
New Delhi (PTI): Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday claimed the BJP has launched a campaign -- "Operation Jhaadu" -- to crush the Aam Aadmi Party as the saffron party sees the AAP as a challenge.
Addressing party workers and leaders ahead of the AAP's proposed protest march to the BJP headquarters here, he said there will be bigger challenges ahead and asked the cadre to be prepared to face them.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi is worried about the rise of the AAP. The party has risen too fast. They have started 'Operation Jhaadu' to crush the party. In the coming time, our bank accounts will be frozen and we will be brought on the road since our office will also be taken away," he said.
"There will be bigger challenges ahead. Please be ready to face them. Remember one thing we faced many challenges in the past. We have the blessings of Lord Hanuman and God. We would have not survived these. Walk on the path of truth. We want to work for the society," he told them.
Kejriwal, who is out on interim bail in the excise policy case, had said on Saturday that he and other AAP leaders would go to the BJP headquarters on May 19 "so that the prime minister can send anyone he wishes to jail".
"We will peacefully march to the BJP headquarters and if the police stop us, we will sit at that spot. We will wait for half an hour and see if they arrest us. If they do not arrest us, it will be their defeat. You can send us all in jail and see for yourself if the party ends or it rises more," he said.
Recalling the period he was lodged in the Tihar Jail, Kejriwal said he read the Bhagavad Gita twice and the Ramayan once.
