Kamal Kanta Batra, mother of Kargil war hero who is fighting the elections in Himachal Pradesh.
Captain Vikram Batra, Param Vir Chakra, died fighting the Kargil war. He was 24.
Fifteen years later, his mother, Kamal Kanta Batra, is fighting a different kind of battle, lower in the Himalayas. She is contesting the general elections from Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh.
Mrs Batra has been fielded by
Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and brings to her battle with seasoned politicians, an emotional appeal. "Vikram Batra was not just my son, he belonged to the nation. It is our duty to remember him and people should support us. The government never cared for us, they just make promises never to be fulfilled," she says.
It should strike a chord in Hamirpur, which has the largest concentration of ex-servicemen and serving soldiers in Himachal Pradesh.
But it is not often that Mrs Batra mentions the name of her war hero son, for fear of being accused of using his martyrdom for political benefit. It reportedly took much persuasion by the AAP to convince the 66-year-old retired teacher and social worker to contest elections. (
My son's slogan, 'Yeh Dil Maange More', is mine as well)
She is pitted against the BJP's sitting MP Anurag Thakur and Rajinder Singh Rana, of the Congress. Issues important to servicemen dominate her campaign. She has attacked the Congress for announcing "one rank one pension but failing to implement it." An AAP government, if elected, will ensure one rank one pension, she promises.
She accuses the BJP's Anurag Thakur of doing little for the constituency.
Her rivals are cautious in how they fight the war hero's mother. Almost gentle.
"I have all the respect for the martyr, but AAP is losing ground. It is sad that she chose a party which has not cleared its stand on the Kashmir issue so far. Giving ticket to relatives of a martyr is no way of honoring them." says Anurag Thakur, adding that the Narendra Modi-led BJP is the best option for servicemen.
Chief minister Virbhadra Singh's son Vikramaditya Singh, campaigning for the Congress candidate in Hamirpur, says his party "has always respected martyrs." He protests against Mrs Batra's attack on the Congress.
Himachal Pradesh has traditionally voted for either the BJP or the Congress. But the emotional draw of Mrs Batra, who raised one of India's heroes, cannot be discounted.