'Original kinnar' vows to fight out 'political kinnars'

Varanasi, Apr 15 (UNI) An eunuch, who hitherto entertained people to earn money for marrying off poor girls, has now plunged into the electoral battle-field for bringing back smiles to the faces of hapless weavers and farmers.

Middle-aged Wasir alias Kamla kinnar has filed nomination as Rashtriya Ekta Party candidate from the Gangapur assembly seat here.

Even as other candidates in fray use hi-tech and loudest means to solicit votes in the predominantly rural assembly segment, Wasir, joined by the eunuch brigade, is drumming up public support with self-composed numbers like ''De do duayen de do pyar.'' ''I am not in the electoral arena to defeat anyone, but solely for furthering the public cause which has not been addressed by any of the MLAs or MPs,'' said Wasir, also the president of Varanasi Kinnar Samaj.

Wasir alongwith other members of the eunuch brigade rises early and hits the campaign trail in bumpy roads and potholed lanes of the rural constituency with only one vow. ''I am an original eunuch who is out to expose the political kinnars.'' While his friends dance and sing, Wasir gives music to their entertaining and matchless election campaign by playing the 'dholak' dangling through the neck and also clashes the 'majira' (cymbals) to further attract the electorate.

''Mai ek fakir hoon jisko chunav isliye ladna pad raha hai kyonki neta biradari ne janta ko thagne ke alawa aur kuch nahi kiya'' (I am a mendicant, who was compelled to enter the election arena as the politicians have done nothing else except deceiving the public),'' said Wasir flanked by Rekha Kinnar, another eunuch who was recently elected chairman of Ahraura Nagar Palika in neighbouring Mirzapur district on an RLD ticket.

''I am the first eunuch public representative who has trouped down to ensure victory of Wasir, who is like a mother to me. Many others including former mayor of Gorakhpur Asha Devi and ex MLA from MP Shabnam Mausi will also arrive here shortly as star campaigners for Wasir,'' Rekha claimed.

Seconding Rekha's viewpoint, Wasir says ''like other parties we do not have film stars to campaign for us. But, we have our own Hema Malini, Govinda and Shahrukh Khan present in our community who are capable of dwarfing the other stars on the campaign trail.'' And what forms Wasir's electoral manifesto. ''I have no written or ambitious manifesto. Whatever I earned by entertaining people was invested on the welfare of poors, especially for the marriage of 20 girls from impoverished weaver families. Now, I want to raise my voice for addressing the grievances of farmers and weavers whose interests have been destroyed by successive governments,'' maintained Wasir.

''I have not earned anything for self as I have no family and whatever comes to me belongs to the entire society. Even if I am elected to the assembly, I will continue singing and dancing whether in Varanasi or Lucknow and the resultant earnings as well as the salary I get from the government will be showered in public only.'' The other contenders slugging with Wasir to win the Gangapur seat, include UP minister and sitting SP MLA Surendra Patel, Neelratan Patel from Apna Dal and Sujit Singh Belwa, a sharp-shooter contesting the polls from behind the bars.

''Everybody is working to defeat me, whether it is the UP minister or the jailed sharp-shooter. But I am not afraid either of the wealth of ruling party or the bullets of Sujit Belwa.'' ''Agar is chunav mein meri jaan bhi jaati hai to janta ke liye jayegi,'' quipped Wasir.

UNI