Hours after delivering a daughter, woman gets elected as sarpanch in AP

VIJAYAWADA: The birth of a daughter has brought luck to the family with her mother getting elected as sarpanch of Korukollu village of Kalidindi mandal in the second phase of gram panchayat elections a few hours later.

Although, doctors gave February 15 as the possible date of delivery, Battu Leela Kanaka Durga, despite the advanced stage of pregnancy, went about door-to-door canvassing. She promised a graft-free governance, and resolving long-pending issues like supply of tapped water, laying of roads, and construction of drains to ensure the overall development of the village in the next five years.

On the February 13 polling date, she was the first to cast her vote. When she started developing labour pains, she was taken to her house. When the pains became severe, she was shifted to the government hospital at Kaikaluru located nearly 11 km from her village. At 10.30 am, she delivered a baby girl and by evening she was declared elected as the sarpanch of the gram panchayat with a majority of 689 votes.

Kanaka Durga said, “We are absolutely delighted with a second daughter after the first one three years back. Our joy has no bounds after learning a few hours later that I was elected as the sarpanch. My daughter has brought luck to me, my family and even to my village. Incidentally, our family’s first daughter in 80 years was when my first child was born three years back.”
Her husband Mahesh said, “My wife used to take part in a door-to-door campaign despite her physical condition. People trusted her and duly elected her. Both our daughters have brought happiness along. Our family is committed to serving the village.”

She was supported by Jana Sena and out of 14 wards in the gram panchayat, she and her supporters won six wards.