Aam Aadmi Party has fielded a transgender person for the Prayagraj (Allahabad) constituency for upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Announcing the decision, AAP tweeted, “Transgender Chirpi Bhawani will be our candidate for the upcoming loksabha elections from Prayagraj.”

Bhawani is also a member of the Kinnar Akhada and a Mahamandaleshwar in the Kinnad Akhada. 46 years old Bhawani was born in Delhi’s Chanakyapuri. After the announcement, she said, “Being transgender we suffered a lot. BJP has treated us like beggars. But it was Arvind Kejriwal and his party who fought for our rights.”

Sukhdeep Singh