It's eunuch vs 'asli hijrey' in Ayodhya

Gunning for a sixth consecutive win from the Ayodhya assembly seat, the Bharatiya Janata Party's Lallu Singh has been unnerved by a third presence, besides the Samajwadi Party candidate. Pankaj Jaiswal and Sachchidanand Shukla report.

Gunning for a sixth consecutive win from the Ayodhya assembly seat, the Bharatiya Janata Party's Lallu Singh has been unnerved by a third presence, besides the Samajwadi Party candidate.

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He has complained to the Election Commission against Gulshan Bindu, the only eunuch so far in the fray for the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls. Singh's grouse: Bindu is violating the code of conduct by making people vow to vote for her.

In many parts of India, not fulfilling a pledge to a kinnar or hijra (eunuch) is considered inauspicious. On the flip side, blessings from eunuchs are considered auspicious.

Bindu, an independent candidate, termed Singh's charge "rubbish". The 45-year-old said she was only asking people to bless her to serve them.

Her presence has added a dash of vibrancy to a contest so far perceived one-sided following Singh's victory run, which began in 1991 on the back of the 'Ram wave' in this temple town.

She expounds her politics to voters, asking them, "Do you know your Ram Nagri is sitting on heaps of garbage all around? Is it the mistake of your politicians? No. It is your fault. You elect such ineffective people."

Her straight talk has takers. "Lallu Singh has represented us for more than two decades, but Ayodhya has been deteriorating," said VR Pathak.

For Bindu, who claims she meets nearly 25,000 people every day in her campaign, the poll slogan is - "Nar to dekha, naari ko dekha, ab kinnar ko dekho (you have tried men and women. Try eunuch now)."