Tirupati: Even as violent clashes were reported during the nomination process for local body elections in Andhra Pradesh, an independent woman candidate in Tirupati drew police attention when she arrived with thousands of ₹1 coins to pay her nomination fee at the polling station. She had collected the coins from residents of her village, Chiguruvada.
The candidate, identified as Subhadra, had gathered ₹6,000, all of it in ₹1 coins. Police noticed the bags during a routine check and questioned her about them.
Subhadra told officials that villagers had donated the coins from their households to help her meet the nomination fee. She said she was filing her nomination entirely with the money they had contributed, and that she brought it in bags because the entire sum was in coins.
Her move stood out at a time when the nomination process in Andhra Pradesh has been marked by violent clashes and intimidation between ruling and opposition parties. Many viewed her decision to rely on small contributions from villagers as a gesture reflecting the spirit of democracy.