Jashpur: The polling officials in Chhattisgarh's Jashpur district were in a fix when an independent candidate came to file his nomination for the civic polls scheduled two weeks away.
Satyendra Pathak, an independent candidate from Jashpur, filed nomination for the civic polls after submitting a fee of Rs 3,000, except that the denomination of the fee was in coins.
Pathak, who runs a grocery, was initially reluctant to contest the elections as he didn't had the money to file the nominations. It was when the locals decided to step in and started contributing money to meet the target of Rs 3000.
"The locals recently approached me saying that I am helping out others without any post and once I become a corporator, I could continue my social endevours easily," said Pathak who agreed to contest from his ward.
Pathak pooled in a total of Rs 3,200, all in denominations of Rs 2, 5 and 10. The polling officials had tough time in counting the coins.
Pathak, despite his humble background, has been popular in the area for his social welfare initiatives including blood donation camps, helping out stray cattle and contribution in cleanliness drives.
In a similar event, Puja Sharma, a resident of Korba district filed the nomination form with a fees of Rs 2,500, all in coins.
Sharma said that the locals urged her to contest civic poll but she had no money to buy the nomination form. Sharma used to live in Atal Awas basti.
“The residents of my ward were upset with previous corporators as they didn’t do anything for them, so they are now encouraging me to fight the election and do something for them,” Puja Sharma said.
As many as 151 civic bodies including – 10 municipal corporations, 38 municipal councils and 103 nagar panchayats are going to polls in Chhattisgarh on December 21. Starting from November 30, the last date for submitting nominations is December 6. Counting of votes will take place on December 24.
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