Jaya finds an admirer in C Devi, her transgender rival from RK Nagar - Hindustan Times
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Jaya finds an admirer in C Devi, her transgender rival from RK Nagar

Hindustan Times | By, Chennai
Apr 12, 2016 01:03 AM IST

C Devi, a transgender, admires her opponent the chief minister and AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa and wonders why she was chosen to take on Amma by her party – Naam Tamilar Katchi, a pro-Tamil outfit floated by film actor Seeman.

C Devi, a transgender, admires her opponent the chief minister and AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa and wonders why she was chosen to take on Amma by her party – Naam Tamilar Katchi, a pro-Tamil outfit floated by film actor Seeman.

CAPTION PROVIDED BY LAKSHMAN - C Devi, transgender taking on Jayalalithaa in the RK Nagar constituency. (PHOTO BY V Srinivasulu / Hindustan Times) **Picture recevied on April 11, 2016**
CAPTION PROVIDED BY LAKSHMAN - C Devi, transgender taking on Jayalalithaa in the RK Nagar constituency. (PHOTO BY V Srinivasulu / Hindustan Times) **Picture recevied on April 11, 2016**

But, ordered from above and she plunged into the campaign and the fear of losing does not deter this 33-year-old, who has been working for the betterment of the third sex for years.

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“My campaign is going well,” she said while travelling between meeting venues in RK Nagar constituency of Chennai.

“See, how bad the colony is; roads are poor and people complain of drinking water problems. There is no drainage system,” she said as she launched into how despite being a VVIP constituency the area continues to suffer.

May be the constituency needs a person who can devote full time to the area and be one with the people, she said, adding that he work with downtrodden goes beyond the transgender community, though they are her focus.

Hailing from Salem, Devi realized she was a transgender by the age of 16 and went through a sex change operation despite stiff opposition from family. Slowly her parents came around and accepted her for who she is.

She knows it would be a very difficult fight ahead as she is contesting against two very powerful parties — the AIADMK and DMK.

“Win or lose, I will continue my work for the people,” she said as she prepared to dash off for a door-to-door campaign. Her agenda: quality education and health services for all.

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  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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    KV Lakshmana is the Tamil Nadu bureau chief of Hindustan Times. He covers social, economic and political changes in the state and neighbourhood.

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