Galwan Martyr’s Mother Enters Electoral Arena
Colonel Santosh Babu’s mother Bikumalli Manjula to contest Suryapet civic polls on BRS ticket
- Bikumalli Manjula to make electoral debut in Suryapet municipal polls
- Will contest on Bharat Rashtra Samithi ticket
- Mother of Galwan clash hero Colonel Santosh Babu
- Telangana local body elections scheduled for February 11
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 4th Feb: Bikumalli Manjula, the mother of Galwan Valley clash hero Bikumalla Santosh Babu, will make her electoral debut next week by contesting the Suryapet municipal election on a Bharat Rashtra Samithi ticket, party sources said.
Suryapet, the hometown of the late Army officer and his family, will go to polls on February 11 as part of statewide local body elections in Telangana. Voting will be held for nearly 3,000 seats across 123 urban local bodies, including municipal corporations and municipalities, with results expected on February 13. Mayoral and chairperson elections are scheduled for February 16.
After filing her nomination papers, Manjula praised BRS chief and former Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, saying the state witnessed remarkable progress during his tenure.
Colonel Santosh Babu was among 20 Indian soldiers killed during a violent clash with Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh’s Galwan Valley in June 2020. He was commanding officer of the 16 Bihar Regiment and was tasked with establishing an observation post along the Line of Actual Control.
According to the official citation, Colonel Babu successfully executed the mission despite stiff resistance from Chinese troops armed with lethal and sharp weapons. Though injured during the assault, he continued to lead from the front with complete command and control under hostile conditions, resisting the enemy “till his last breath”.
In November 2021, Manjula received the Maha Vir Chakra—India’s second-highest wartime gallantry honour—on behalf of her son, alongside his wife B. Santoshi.
A year after the clash, a statue of Colonel Santosh Babu was unveiled in Suryapet, about 140 km from Hyderabad, as a tribute to his sacrifice.
The Galwan clash marked the most serious military confrontation between Indian and Chinese forces in decades and led to a prolonged standoff along the Line of Actual Control. Tensions were later eased following multiple rounds of military and diplomatic talks.
Manjula’s entry into politics has drawn attention across the state, blending electoral contest with the enduring legacy of one of India’s most revered military sacrifices.
