Hyderabad: In a remarkable display of support, a woman arrived at the Karimnagar district collectorate on Wednesday to file her nomination to contest the Karimnagar Lok Sabha segment as an independent candidate. What made her nomination filing unique was her use of 30,000 Re 1 coins she had collected from citizens who backed her candidacy.
She was able to collect Rs 5,000 more than what was needed as a security deposit of Rs 25,000 to contest the Lok Sabha polls.
The nominee, 26-year-old Perala Manasa Reddy, a civil engineering graduate renowned for her innovative low-cost housing designs, gained fame in 2021. Her housing concept, known as “Opods,” garnered praise for its affordability and rapid construction.
Houses designed by her could be built in an area anywhere between 40 to 120 square yards, at an affordable cost ranging between Rs 3.5 to Rs 5.5 lakh per unit. With all the facilities, the house could be built in 15-20 days.
Manasa Reddy’s arrival at the collectorate, carrying a basket filled with 30,000 coins on her head, caught the attention of police personnel stationed there. After a brief inspection, she was permitted to proceed with the nomination filing process.
Expressing her aspirations for Karimnagar Lok Sabha seat, currently represented by BJP MP Bandi Sanjay, Manasa Reddy emphasised her agenda for the constituency, promising initiatives such as free education, healthcare, and organic fertilisers. She also pledged to empower farmers to determine the minimum support price for their produce.
“My name is Manasa Reddy and I’m contesting as Karimnagar Lok Sabha candidate. With the blessings of Dr BR Ambedkar I’m putting forward my agenda. I’ll strive to give free education, healthcare and organic fertilisers to my constituents, as well as giving the farmers the authority to decide the minimum support price for their produce,” she said.
Among her proposed measures were a monthly honorarium of Rs 2,000 for auto drivers, financial assistance of Rs 10,000 per year for parents with two daughters, and the utilisation of MP funds to provide free solar power to 200 villages if elected as Karimnagar MP.
While it remains unclear whether all the Re 1 coins were donated by individuals, Manasa Reddy’s unconventional approach to funding her candidacy has captured widespread attention.
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