HYDERABAD: As the State gears up for Assembly elections, a transwoman from Hyderabad is set to take a plunge into the electoral politics and become the first from the community to do so in the youngest State of the country. M Chandramukhi, a transpersons’ rights activist, will be contesting on a Bahujan Left Front (BLF) ticket and will take on BJP heavyweight T Raja Singh in Goshamahal Assembly constituency.
It has been a dream
For Chandramukhi, who raised voice against atrocities on her community on several occasions in the past, it has been a dream to participate in electoral politics and seek people’s mandate. After being asked and forced to quit several high-profile jobs, she found solace in fighting for a cause -- of fighting for her neglected community.
“We are not adopted by the government. The political parties promise several welfare programmes to uplift us but after they win the elections, all the proposals go into the dustbin,” an angry Chandramukhi said.
This, she said, is the reason the community needs, and is looking for, representation at the policy-making and constitutional level. The sole objective of Chandramukhi is to sit across the same table as other lawmakers and represent the community while bringing about proactive changes. Interestingly, the BLF is the only party to have allotted a poll ticket to a transgender.
“Why hasn’t the big three - Congress, TRS, and TDP - failed to give a ticket to a transperson?” Chandramukhi queried.She observed that her inclusion in BLF is a “slap for all political parties which has thrown out the community.”