Transgender to take on Modi, Kejriwal in Varanasi

At a time when gay rights have found a place in the manifestos of two political parties, a member of the transgender community has decided join the big fight from Varanasi.

With the experience of contesting the last two assembly elections from Varanasi, Kamla will take on Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP's) prime minister nominee Narendra Modi and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor Arvind Kejriwal in the Hindu holy city.

Kamla's candidature was finalised at a national convention of transgenders convened in Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh last week.

At the same conference, members of the community also took the pledge to support ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) candidates in the Lok Sabha polls and make SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav the next PM of the country.

Sonam Singh Yadav, national spokesperson of transgenders, has issued an appeal to community members to vote for the SP.

"Varanasi is the city of ardhnarishwar (lord Shiva). Here...the slogan 'Har Har Mahadev' was converted into 'Har Har Modi' by BJP supporters. We will not tolerate this," Kamla said. She is confident of attracting enough attention.

Kamla will file her nomination papers on the day when Modi will file his. "Let us see who else enters the battleground in Varanasi just to hog the limelight," said Rakesh Trivedi, spokesperson of the BJP.

Another candidate in the fray from Varanasi is Quami Ekta Dal's Mukhtar Ansari, a mafioso-turned-politician. Ansari is a four-time MLA from Mau (sadar) constituency. Besides Varanasi, he will also contest from the Ghosi parliamentary constituency in Mau district.