Woman autodriver to contest elections

The Congress and BJP candidates in the Mehrauli assembly constituency have an unexpected opponent. They are up against Sunita Chaudhary ? the Capital's first and perhaps the only woman autorickshaw driver.

The Congress and BJP candidates in the Mehrauli assembly constituency have an unexpected opponent. They are up against Sunita Chaudhary — the Capital's first and perhaps the only woman autorickshaw driver.

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"I know that the Congress and BJP are formidable. But I am determined to contest. There are pressing civic issues like bad roads, inadequate drinking water and health facilities here which need to be addressed," she says.

Chaudhary will fight on a Panthers' Party ticket. She joined the party a few months back. "They had invited me to contest the elections and I accepted. I have been involved in social service for the last 12 years," she says.

Before she took to driving, Chaudhary was a gymnastics and yoga instructor. She now drives a hired auto and pays Rs 250 to the owner every day.

"Lack of funds is a major problem for me. I plan to collect donations from people. If the response is good, I may hire a few more autos to help me campaign," she says. Chaudhary says she has mobilised some of her relatives and well-wishers to campaign for her. "So far, it has been good. People think I deserve a chance," she says.