AAP fields its first transgender candidate from Prayagraj

NEW DELHI: The Aam Admi Party has fielded its first transgender candidate from the Prayagraj seat in Uttar Pradesh for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Member of 'Kinnar Akhada' Mahamandaleshwar Bhawani Nath Valmiki will contest on the Aam Aadmi Party ticket from Prayagraj, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said.

The senior AAP leader hoped that Valmiki wins and becomes the first transgender to become the Member of Parliament. "BJP has insulted the transgender community by bringing a derogatory bill (Transgender Persons Protection of Rights Bill, 2016) against them.

"The AAP has utmost respect for the community and this move of ours proves it," he said. Valmiki, 46, is a social activist and has been a jury member of the Delhi International Film Festival. The other candidates fielded by the party in Uttar Pradesh include Ajeet Sonkar from Aliganj, Anju Saini from Sambhal and Aushutosh Bhrachari from Kanpur Dehat.

In Uttar Pradesh, the AAP has also fielded Yogesh Dahiya from Saharanpur, Satish Chandra Sharma from Aligarh and Shweta Sharma from Gautam Budh Nagar for the polls, Singh said in a tweet. The party is likely to contest the Lok Sabha polls from 25 seats in Uttar Pradesh.

For rest of the seats, the process to select candidates is in the final stage, Singh said .