Party names transgender as CM candidate, to field 50 eunuchs

Lucknow, Dec 11: There is nothing new in transgenders fighting elections these days but in a first, a political party has now decided to field 50 candidates from this marginalised and stigmatised community in the upcoming assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh.

Not only this, the little-known Rashtriya Viklang Party (RVP) has projected an eunuch as the chief ministerial candidate. "The party has decided to field at least 50 eunuchs from different assembly seats and five names have already been announced," party's national general secretary and UP incharge Virendra Kumar said.

He said that national president of Kinnar Morcha Shobha Bua has been named candidate for Dhaulana assembly seat in Ghaziabad. "Shobha Bua will also be chief ministerial candidate of the party," he added. Kumar said that the first eunuch MLA of the country Shabnam Mausi, who won election from Suhagpur seat in Madhya Pradesh in 2000, would be party candidate from Kanpur cantt seat. "People have lost faith in the political parties and they are looking for good candidates. Though eunuchs are a marginalised section of the society, but their honesty and ability cannot be ignored and the party will move with issue," he said.

The state in charge claimed that their initiative was attracting support not only from various organisations of eunuchs and people working with them, but also from the masses. He said that the situation has changed after victory of their candidate Kamla Bua as mayor of Sagar in MP in 2009 and entry of Shabnam Mausi in UP and it would reflect in UP polls as well.

"People are fed up with corruption and are ready to vote by rising above the gender difference," he said.

"In our election manifesto, various issues related to eunuchs, including reservation in accordance with population, pension to eunuchs above 40 years like Delhi Municipal Corporation, right to live like a common citizen and their rehabilitation will be included," Kumar said. He said that while leaders of other political parties have their own interests, it was not the case with the eunuchs. "They neither have children, nor families, therefore they have no reason to indulge in corruption," he said.

On being asked about problem in seeking support for eunuchs during polls, he dismissed any such apprehensions, saying that "reality would come out during elections".

PTI