'Indori Dhartipakad' files nomination for 20th time, has lost deposit always

Indore: Parmanand Tolani, popular as 'Indori Dhartipakad”' here due to his passion for contesting elections despite losing his deposit every time, on Thursday filed his nomination from the Indore Lok Sabha seat.

The 63-year-old real estate businessman filed his nomination as an independent candidate, expressing confidence that someday he will emerge victorious and that poll losses do not bog him down.

Polling will be held in the Indore constituency in the fourth phase on May 13.

“I am going to contest elections for the 20th time. In the last 35 years, I have lost my deposit 19 times in different elections,” Tolani told reporters.

Election Commission regulations stipulate that every candidate contesting a parliamentary or assembly election must deposit a certain security amount, which is now Rs 25,000 for the general category and Rs 12,500 for SC/ST. Those failing to secure a minimum of one-sixth of the total valid votes polled would lose their deposits, as per the regulations.

The veteran of contesting elections claimed he has contested Lok Sabha and assembly elections eight times each besides trying his luck in civic polls for the post of mayor three times.

He said he had once fielded his wife Laxmi Tolani in the civic polls for the mayor’s post when it was reserved for women candidates.

“I don’t mind every time I lose my deposit in elections. I have full faith in the voters of Indore. If not today, then tomorrow they will definitely ensure my victory,” he said.

According to Tolani, he has been carrying forward his family tradition of contesting elections. He said his father Metharam Tolani, who ran a printing press in the city, had contested different elections continuously for 30 years.

Tolani said he started contesting elections in 1989 after his father passed away in 1988.

In the 2019 general elections, Tolani had contested from the Indore seat as an independent candidate and polled 1,233 votes. The winner, BJP’s Shankar Lalwani, had secured 10.6 lakh votes.