Transgender to contest against Naidu's son in AP

Simhadri Tamannah, a transgender woman, filed her nomination papers as an Independent candidate in Mangalagiri on Monday.

She is set to fight big names like TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu's son Nara Lokesh of Telugu Desam Party and sitting MLA Alla Ramakrishna Reddy of YSR Congress.

The 34-year-old says that Shabnam 'Mausi' Bano of Madhya Pradesh was her role model. "I am a sanyasin (monk). I do not have a family. If I am elected I will work round-the-clock for the people,” she said.

Tamannah declared her wish to fight dynasty and money power in politics. She claimed that several parties had offered her support but, she declined it.

A native of Vijayawada, Tamannah did her graduation from Indira Gandhi Open University. She declared no assets in the affidavit. She has a bank balance of Rs 50,000.

The Chandrababu Naidu government had introduced several welfare schemes for transgender persons in Andhra Pradesh. They include Rs 3,000 per month pension and were also promised houses under the weaker section housing schemes.

A transgender woman, Chandramukhi, had unsuccessfully fought the Telangana Assembly polls from Goshamahal constituency in Hyderabad in December last.