Transgender to strive for change, if elected

 Baghlingampally: Chandramukhi, 32, the first transgender from Telangana contesting in the Assembly elections is upbeat and says that she is going to the people by asking if they want change. She is contesting on Bahujana Left Front (BLF) party ticket from Goshamahal Assembly Constituency. She is also the president of Telangana Intersex Hijra Transgender Samithi. Change in a way has also come for the transgender community and for the first time in history, the LGBT community is heaving a huge sigh of relief after the Supreme Court lifted the colonial-era ban on gay sex. Chandramukhi says she chose Goshamahal as most of the transgenders have settled here for a long time.
 
When asked about the support she received from her family, she said, “I come from a middle-class family. My mother and father both are private employees. I worked with MNCs and in movies too before filing nominations. I have two sisters and a brother who are also working. I am getting a tremendous response from most of the people and my parents are proud of my decision. Especially, Transgenders are happy as I took an initiative towards empowering my community.” One of the reasons for choosing BLF is the party that promises welfare schemes for transgenders, downtrodden, children, women and others. Chandramukhi is also keen on tackling the Gudumba menace, which is prevalent in the area. “We must see this problem from their perspective, who manufactures Gudumba. They are ready to give up making Gudumba, if they are given alternative employment,” she said.

“I am reaching out to people and asking votes in the name of change and development. Politicians divided people along the lines of caste and religion. First we are humans and every individual has rights,” she says of her conviction. Not keen to promote her candidature on social media, she prefers activities to reach out to people through word of mouth. “In every society there is good and bad, like that there are good and bad people among transgenders, too. They have been into begging for ages, which is mentioned even in the Puranas,” she signs off.

BY Nomula Raju Reddy