Transgender Candidate Ashwini Wins Chityal Ward Seat

Nalgonda: A transgender candidate, Nalgilla Sudhakar alias Ashwini, was elected as councillor from Ward No. 1 (Shivanenigudem) of Chityal municipality, becoming the first transgender representative to win a local body election in the erstwhile Nalgonda district.

Ashwini contested as an Independent candidate and was allotted the ‘ring’ symbol. She defeated CPM candidate Jitta Nagesh, who was supported by the Congress, by a margin of 101 votes.

Of the 1,070 electors in the ward, Ashwini secured 429 votes to win the seat.

In the run-up to the elections, she campaigned on promises that included financial assistance of Rs 10,016 for families for the marriage of girls, shifting the dumping yard from the ward, addressing the monkey menace and installing proper street lighting. Transgenders, women and men participated in the campaign in her support. She resides in the ward with her parents.

After the declaration of results at the counting centre set up at SRTS College in Nalgonda, Ashwini said she entered politics to serve people and address long-pending civic issues in the ward. She stated that transgenders should enter politics and contest elections to raise their issues on democratic platforms. She added that her life would serve as an inspiration to other transgenders. She has not yet taken a decision on whether to join any political party or continue as an Independent.