Yavatmal:
Will Kalavati contest the Maharashtra elections after all?
On Friday morning, the widow from Vidarbha was in hospital with severe chest pains. That led to concerns that she wouldn't be able to file her nomination before the deadline, which expires today.
But a few hours later, her party escorted her to complete her formalities. Once it receives her medical reports, the party will decide whether Kalavati should pull out of the elections.
Kalavati was introduced to India last year, when Rahul Gandhi mentioned her in a speech in Parliament. Her husband, a farmer committed suicide in 2005 because he couldn't repay his loans. Kalavati had lived all her life in a village without electricity. Gandhi shared her story as an example of how India's nuclear deal with America will help deliver power to rural parts of the country.
Last week, she announced that she would stand for elections from the Wani Constituency in the Yavatmal district. She is representing the Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti. The party alleges that Kalavati is being pressured to skip the elections by Sulabh International, an NGO that offer her a donation of 30 lakhs after Gandhi shared her story in Parliament. The NGO has reportedly asked Kalavati to focus on social work, and to avoid any role that requires political affiliation.